


RWBY: Forsaken

by AlucardAbridged



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:47:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 14
Words: 22,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23811811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlucardAbridged/pseuds/AlucardAbridged
Summary: For thousands of years, Ozpin has walked upon the world of Remnant. For thousands years, Ozpin has been at war with Salem. For two thousand years, the last creation made by Oum himself, has laid abandoned and forgotten. For two thousand years, Oum and his glorious creations, have vanished from Remnant. Today, his creations will return. Today, the war will begin it's end. Today, Y/N awakens.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Original Male Character(s), Yang Xiao Long/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 2





	1. Divided We Fall

"Father. Why must I remain in these bonds? Why must I be prisoner to my mistakes, that I cannot improve as you made me to?" This was all that filled the head of the boy. The boy with no name, no identity. Not since his once divine essence had faded from him, rendering him a mortal.  
His body did not move. His mind, for all intents and purposes, a prisoner to a corpse. His heart did not beat, his chest did not rise or fall with breathe.  
All was devoid around him, all life gone from the desolate pit his body was placed in. The only thing that even seemed alive was the seal upon his chest, which glowed a dim green and pulsed with light as if it were his heart. "Father. Please release me, that I may make right my transgressions. That I may improve the world as you see fit." The boy pleaded, longing for the day he could feel once more. That he may see the world, smell the air of freedom, hear voices again. As it had been for millennium upon millennium, Oum remained silent.

"Father. Why did Kaizen betray us? Why would he attempt to take the life of Ozpin, and why would he do this with the belief it would better the world? Had Salem corrupted him? Did you wish us tested? Were we mistakes you sought to rectify by turning us against one another?" These bitter thoughts swirled through the alcohol impaired mind of Inshu. A man whose seemingly endless mirth and wit came from the bottle, as the true depths of his cold despair were drowned out with the warmth of the alcohol. As it burned his throat, as it blurred his memories, if even for a moment. Slowly he reached up with his free hand, the other clutching the bottle he drank from, wiping away the stinging tears almost forming on his eyes. "We could have brought peace. Please Father, tell me why we have been split by our leaders betrayal, and why you do not simply call us back with you, that we do not leave our marks on the world without your guidance?"

"Father. Please, hear my humble request, help your loyal child. My emotions blinded me, and now I am a failure. Grant me some sign, some divination that you will allow me to redeem myself from my mistakes, that I may rise again." This prayer was that of Kaen, a man who had failed to foresee the fall of Kaizen, and the subsequent fall of the Guardians. A failed protector of mankind, isolated in self exile.

"Father. Why have you forsaken us? What did we do? It was your so called greatest creation Kaizen that betrayed us and joined Salem! Why forsake the rest of us for the mistakes of one?! Why not banish the traitor and leave him to squirm beneath the boot heel of that witch Salem?!" These thoughts burned in the mind of Reiji, whose rage knows no bounds, and whose hatred was honed to make him the deadly brawler he was today, whose only reprieve from his anger was battle.

These four souls all called out to their creator, their Father. They had all fallen from within, and they all suffered in their own way. Oum was silent, for 2000 years he deprived them of his guidance. For 2000 years they wandered Remnant, devoid of a goal or purpose. However, now rising over the horizon, was the dawn of a new day. With it, came a chance. The chance of redemption. The chance to become what they once were. The chance to be heroes again.


	2. Gathering

"I told you, I'm not coming back." Reiji growled, throwing a Beowolf by the throat. As it skittered to it's feet a ball of flames slammed into it, striking it's heart. This made it drop, turning to dust as it died.  
"Not even to get a chance at fighting Kaizen again?" Reiji hesitated to go after another pack of Grimm, looking to Kaen first. Now Reiji stood there with his arms crossed in front of him. "Explain." He grumbled out, glaring at Kaen.   
"Ozpin can't get to the cave to renew the seal on Kaizen without giving away where he's hidden him. So Kaizen will be awakening. Since he'll most likely want to fight Ozpin again, we need to be there to help him...If we can anyways." Kaen now pulled his hands out of his pockets, crossing his owm arms now.   
"So how about it Reiji? What will you do?" Reiji slowly thought to himself. Finally grumbling out. "Fine. I'll help you." Kaen smiled, nodding in satisfaction at recruiting his difficult little brother. Turning his attention to the Beowolves as the wind shifted, sending the scent of the two towards them. "I'll let you round up this pack of Beowolves first, ok?" Kaen slowly nodded to the Grimm, watching as they charged the pair.

"Inshu! Inshu! Inshu!" The chants of fellow bar goers filled the boys ears as he continued drinking from the bottle of Everclear in his hand, his second bottle of the night. He was trying to break the bars record for most alcohol consumed in a single sitting.   
As he finished draining the burning contents down his throat he slammed the bottle down onto the bar, already hammered beyond oblivion. "I win." His words were clear, but his mind was clouded. Nothing but bright colors were all he could see clearly, the rest blurring into one.  
"What. The. Hell." Kaen said, stunned. He knew that Inshu had become a drinker since they last met, but he didn't know he had reached such extremes. "How is he still alive?" Reiji rumbled, leaning against the wall.   
"I don't know. Let's just hope he's not so drunk when he has to fight." Slowly Kaen walked towards the drunkard as Inshu stood, staggering out to head home.   
As Inshu stumbled, heading for the ground, an arm shot out and kept him from falling. "Hey. Thanks man, I owe ya, hows about I buy-" Inshu stopped, examining Kaen through his drunken stupor. "You are a dude right?" He asked, squinting heavily. Now a face came into focus, the only face that could ruin his high. "Oh...it's you. Ok, where we going?" He stood straight, still drunk beyond even seeing his old teammate clearly. "For now your house." Kaen simply stated, to which Inshu broke out laughing. "My house? Of all the places in Remnant, what could you possibly want with mine?" He chuckled, lost in his own mirth. "I'll explain when your actually sober. Now come on already."   
Nodding Inshu staggered after Kaen. Stopping now Kaen nodded to Reiji, who strode up and threw Inshu over his shoulder. As Reiji slowly walked outside, stooping down to not hit his head in the door way. "Sorry about my friend. This should cover it, and keep the change." Kaen now tossed about 100 Lien in front of the barkeep, nodding to him and walking out. 

Groaning in pain at his intense hang over, Inshu slowly rolled on to his back. Only to be met with the floor as he fell out of his bed.   
"He's up." Kaen observed, sitting in Inshu's living room. Slowly Inshu shambled in, clutching his head. "Yeah I am. And with a hell of a hang over. Just what the fuck are you two doing it my apartment?" Inshu demanded, sitting down across from Karn in a lounge chair as Reiji sat on the couch, taking up the same space as two people. "Ozpins going to need us. That's why we're here." Sighing softly Inshu now looked at the two men before him. "Why?" Slowly now, Kaen leaned forward. Folding his hands into each other he sighed softly.   
"Ozpin runs Beacon Academy as the headmaster. Because of this he can't get to the cave to renew Kaizens' seal. If he did everyone would be suspicious, and it might give away where Kaizen's hidden. So Kaizen isn't going to be asleep much longer. And I'm sure you know what that means." Inshu nodded solemnly.   
"We have to fight our little brother all over again." Inshu sighed, leaning back miserably in his seat. "I thought we were done with this shit." He muttered, looking off to the side wistfully.  
"I wish we were little brother. This time we have no choice but to end him. Ozpin doesn't have it in him to create a new seal. I'm sure you've sensed his waning power." Inshu nodded slowly. Getting up now, he headed to his room.  
"I'll go and get dressed. I'm assuming your already wearing your old outfit under that pedo coat Kaen?" Inshu chuckled as he shut the door. Reiji looked to the eldest of the three, who seemed only mildly offended by the comment.   
"It does look a little off putting." He muttered, to which Kaen gave him a side long glare. "I'm not listening to this today Reiji."

Ozpin sat peacefully in his office. Drinking his hot chocolate, reading from his Scroll. Out of nowhere a chime could be heard from the Scroll, an old alarm he had made. Opening the alarm he saw just what is was, and his heart sank. Above the time and date he'd set, was the words "Reapply Seal".  
To do that he'd have to leave Beacon. Something that wasn't exactly all that possible, even if he was the headmaster. It would arouse too much suspicion, even if it was necessary for him to stay alive in this body and keep fighting Salem.   
"Professor Ozpin." Closing his Scroll for the moment Ozpin looked up as Glynda walked in. "Yes?" She pulled out a piece of paper, a letter. "Odd. Who would bother sending a letter in this day and age of wondrous technology?" He inquired, taking it from her. "I don't know, but whoever it was could be a problem. It was right at the academies front door, and there's no evidence of anyone coming or going that could have placed it or dropped it there." Glynda watched him as he opened the letter. "Oh, this is just from an old friend of mine, nothing more." Closing it he smiled at her. "He has a bit of distrust over technology for conversation, that's all." Glynda slowly nodded, sighing. "Alright, if you say so." Turning she walked off, headed down the elevator.

"Ozpin. I know that the time has come once more to reaffirm the seal. I also know that with you at Beacon this cannot happen conventionally. Without our divinity my brothers and I cannot protect you again as we did before. But we will not leave you to your fate. If you believe he will appear, ask your subordinates to find Kaen in Vales' commercial sector. Particularly the bars. My brothers and I will not hesitate to come to your side." The letter read.   
This sent a wave of worry over Ozpin. If Kaizen showed himself at Beacon, no one would be safe. He was designed to be the strongest of the four Guardians, so he would win the second fight. If Kaen himself thought it was so dire that he would break his isolation, and return to civilization to help, then things were dire indeed.   
No one else was fully aware of this. Not even Qrow or Glynda knew the exact story. Sure they had some level of knowledge about it, but they didn't know the exact history of him and the Guardians. But he didn't have a choice, it had to be done lest everything he had worked for was destroyed. Opening his Scroll he called Glynda.

The nameless boys' seal dimmed, then began to weaken. "Is this your doing Father? Are you finally granting me a chance of redemption? Thank you, you will not regret this." The boys thoughts raced with thanks to Oum for his forgiveness, as the seal slowly faded into the boys exposed chest, the remaining Aura of the seal jump-starting his heart.  
Slowly, it began to beat. First one, then another. Until it began a slow rhythm. Then came the lungs. Slowly air filled them, then he exhaled. He patiently waited until he felt the blood running properly through his veins, and all traces of numbness had faded. Slowly he opened his eyes.   
Moving his head about he examined the cavern he found himself in, sunlight streaming in through the somewhat large hole leading to the outside world. Groaning with the stiffness of his muscles and joints, the boy slowly stood for the first time in millennium. Rolling his head he heard and felt the cracks and pops of his spine. "2000 years can give you such a crick in the neck." The boy observed with a croaking, raw voice. Slowly he began rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. Sighing to himself, the boy slowly walked towards the sunlight streaming in.  
"Woah!" The boy stopped just in time, clutching whatever stones he could to keep up. The cave opening was actually a hole in a sheer cliff. Looking down his head spun as he realized just how high up he was. Looking up the boy saw he was far closer to the top than the bottom. Realizing he would need to climb the boy sighed in defeat, and slowly retreated back into the cave. He would rather get used to that sort of movement again by practicing on the cave walls instead of a deadly cliff face.


	3. Meetings

Inshu laughed with the other bar goers as he began drinking heavily from a bottle of whiskey. His partying personality was in full force as he kept drinking heavily, two other bottles already laying empty in front of him. "Do you think he'll draw any undue attention to us Kaen?" Reiji asked, looking down at his former teammate. "Even if he did, which is unlikely in a bar this small and out of the way, you and me can pull him out of any problem before it gets serious."   
Reiji merely grumbled wordlessly to himself in response before he then tried to get settled into his seat. He was a large man, standing at a towering 7' 5", and weighing in at a full 303 lbs of pure muscle. This made it difficult for him to find anything he fit in, especially chairs. The one he was in now even creaked dangerously at even the slightest movement Reiji made.

Glynda sighed with frustration as she walked along the boardwalk of Vales' coast. She was on the promenade, and intended to check this last bar before returning to Ozpin to tell him she'd turned up empty handed. As she did though, she witnessed an intriguing sight. Walking out of the Crow bar were three men. One dressed in a jet black trenchcoat, his hands shoved in his pockets. The other, who appeared bigger than any man she'd seen before, was dressed in street clothes with what was most likely leather armor padding it in various places to protect his vital organs. The last didn't walk out, instead he was carried on the large ones shoulder like a sack of flour, acting strange. Most likely from drunkenness. As she approached the bar she listened in to the conversation between them. 

"Oh come on Kaen. I wasn't even that drunk yet. This is nothing compared to when I had the Everclear last night." Inshu now whined at Kaen as he hung on Reiji's shoulder. "I understand. Still, if you get too drunk we'll need to take you home. So it's better we stay here outside just a little longer in case my message got through."  
Sighing Inshu now moved nimbly, slipping from under Reiji's arm and spinning about so he landed feet first. Facing Kaen as he stood straight. "Well I can walk on my own, so he doesn't need to hold me like a damn ragdoll."

"Excuse me, did you call this man Kaen?" Glynda asked the drunk, pointing to the trench coated man. He nodded. "Yeah, whose asking?" She held out her hand as a formality. Kaen hesitated, then slowly took it. "Glynda Goodwitch. Professor Ozpin sent me to find you three." Nodding at her words Kaen looked to his brothers. "Come on guys. Let's go."

Meanwhile, the boy formerly known as Kaizen sat there, looking at the gorgeous view from the top of the cliff. "Ah, I missed seeing your creations in their full splendor Father. I hope I may yet even become what you made me once again." Standing up now he turned, then stopped. He hadn't noticed it before, since he'd been looking to the horizon. 

There was a tombstone, several meters away from him. "Did they really make a tombstone for me?" He asked in disbelief, almost hurt they considered him dead. As he walked up to the tombstone he stopped, reading it. "Summer Rose / Thus kindly I scatter." A feeling of sadness and pity for whoever had made this tombstone coursed through him. Here he was reveling in life, yet all he saw it as now was mockery of this passed on soul. Kneeling down, the boy touched it.   
"I am sorry if how I acted upon first reaching the top of this cliff offended you in any way Summer Rose. I meant no disrespect by it." Standing now his ears caught something he could never forget. Combat. Turning he listened closely. Beasts, and some sort of gunshots. Headed that way he carefully weaved between the trees seeing flashes of black and red between them. 

Soon he came to a clearing, seeing a young girl fighting a pack of some sort of black wolves. As he sensed the darkness in them he froze in place. They were creations of hers. 10,000 years and she still lived? Perhaps he was needed. As he watched he couldn't help but admire the beauty in the girls movements. It was an art form, an elegant dance that he respected the beauty of. After all, he had always seen things as beautiful and pure. Even battle.   
Behind him he heard a deep growl now, and one thought ran through his mind. "Ooh no." Turning quickly he came face to torso with the biggest of the wolves. Craning his neck up to see its yellow eyes looking down at him. "Hey there." He said, his voice faltering as it growled. He did not need to fight right now. Leaping back he narrowly avoided the beasts claws disemboweling him. However he was cut, and for once felt pain. "Ah!" He muttered, placing a hand to the wound.   
Pulling it away he finally saw the stain of his crimson blood on his fingers, shocked. He was truly mortal now. Truly killable. Looking up at the beast he felt the one thing Grimm lived for. Fear. He back pedaled. He couldn't fight it, there was no way to without his power. He'd always relied on it, and now that decision would kill him. As the beast pulled back it's arm for another slash at him, a shot rang out from behind. Then in a flash of red and black, the girl made short work of the alpha beowolf. 

"Hey there. You ok?" Ruby asked the strange boy before her.


	4. To Beacon And Onward

You sighed to yourself as you listened to the local radio stations around Vale, trying to find a good song to listen to. "I told you you should have made a playlist." Ruby chimed in as you both walked down the street. "I thought Vale would have good music." You replied in defeat.   
"That's your fault bud." She chuckled, then gave a loud "Ooh." Looking to see what caught her eye this time, you saw a Dust shop.   
"From Dust to Dawn." You read, your disappointment in the pun obvious in your tone. "Let's see what they have, I've been meaning to pick up some Dust ammo for Crescent Rose." Grabbing your shirt sleeve she pulled you along before you could even think of a reply. "Ruby it's getting late though, your dad said we-" Ruby looked over her shoulder and cut you off.   
"Dad Shmad, don't be a stick in the mud. Come on!" Appalled at the potential scolding you'd get from Taiyang you none the less obeyed Ruby, not one to disappoint the innocent young girl. Sighing in defeat you let yourself be pulled into the store, looking around with her. While her eyes were wide and excited yours were tired and unmotivated. You'd been in Vale all day, so you were ready to just head back and sleep. You trudged after her as she went to look at all the different kinds of Dust present.

You hummed along with the music playing through your headphones, having finally found a good station while you two were in the shop. It was playing some music that you'd heard when you'd accompanied Yang to Juniors, and was at least enjoyable.   
You were reading through a weapons catalog magazine over Ruby's shoulder, looking at all the things they had. Both of you oblivious to the group of men that had just walked in.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a Dust shop open this late?" Roman Torchwick demanded of the shopkeep as one of his goons aimed at the old man. Throwing his hands up in fear the old man begged "Please, just take my Lien and leave!" Roman now started shushing the man. "Calm down, we're not here for your money." He now looked to his men.   
"Grab the Dust." A henchman quickly opened a case and removed one of several cylinders, which the group started using to take Dust from the tube containers on the walls. As this went on another henchman goes for another tube. He stopped, hearing muted music blaring from the direction of two kids, and unsheathes his sword. Pointing his sword at them now he said "Alright kids, put your hands where I can see 'em." No response from either. "Hey, I said hands in the air! You got a death wish or something!?" He demanded, storming over to the two of them.

You were jerked back to reality by a man in an all black suit turning you and Ruby to face him. You both pulled your headphones off, looking at him. "Yes?" Ruby asked. The henchman replied, "I said, put your hands in the air, now!" Ruby sized the man up, "Are you... robbing us?" The man nodded. "Yes!" Ruby nodded slightly in response. "Ooohhh..." Your stomach dropped with what she did next, grabbing him and throwing him all the way to the front of the store.   
Another man came into view pointing a gun at you two. "Oh no." You muttered, watching helplessly as Ruby went flying out the window with the man. Why did things always seem to go wrong when Taiyang made you chaperone his daughters?!

"Okayyy..." Roman began looking to his men. "Get her!" He ordered, exasperated. You watched as Ruby began battling his men, mopping the floor with them. As Roman walked out of the store you turned to the old man. "Um, sorry about my friend." You apologised awkwardly, heading out the door in time to see Ruby throw the last of Romans men at his feet. You resisted the urge to laugh at the situation and Romans reply to it.   
"You were worth every cent. Truly, you were." As he put out his cigar you heard the sirens, looking around for their source.   
"Well, Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening, and as much as I'd love to stick around, I'm afraid this is where we part ways." He lifted his cane, the bottom of the cane exposing a crosshair of sorts as he shot a firework like blast at Ruby, then took off. You were so concerned for Ruby you didn't pay attention to him running. She however, did. After making sure the shopkeep was ok she took off after him. You watched, stunned. "Should I...?" You gestured towards her, to which the shopkeep nodded. You then took off after her.

You sat in the dark interrogation room with Ruby, side by side as the blond Huntress strode around you two, holding a tablet. Your head was down on the table, mentally beating yourself up for this. Taiyang was going to kill you. "I hope that you realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, you two. You put yourself and others in great danger."   
Ruby now retorted "They started it!"   
The Huntress continued. "If it were up to me, you'd be sent home... With a pat on the back..." she notices Ruby's smile. "And a slap on the wrist." She slammed her riding crop on the table, making Ruby jerk. You didn't move since you didn't see it coming. "But... there is someone here who would like to meet you."

Ozpin now walked into the room, seeing this Ruby girl Glynda had told him about, as well as the boy she mentioned. She didn't get his name, since he'd basically shut down the whole time they'd been there. "Ruby Rose..." Ozpin now leaned in to look at her face "You...have silver eyes." As Ruby tried to figure out how to respond he now shifted topics. "So! Where did you learn to do this?" He asked, gesturing with his head to the tablet Glynda was holding, showing Ruby's fight with Romans henchmen. Finally Ruby had a response for him.   
"S-Signal Academy." He looked at her skeptically, looking over the rim of his glasses. "They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" Ruby seemed to get a bit more uncomfortable, but continued none the less. "Well, one teacher in particular." Ozpin sighed softly, "I see." He now put the plate he'd been holding, loaded with cookies, down on the table in front of Ruby. She tentatively picked one up, eating it in a single bite, and then, not seeing any rebuttal, started shoveling the rest into her mouth.

The boy peeked out from between his arms that his head rested on, grabbing only one cookie before Ruby kept eating more cookies. As he did, Ozpin noticed a lock of H/C hair. Dismissing it for the time being he returned his attention to Ruby. "It's just that I've only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty, old Qrow..." He stated, to which Ruby lit up.   
Mumbling through her full mouth Ruby proclaimed, "Oh! That's my uncle!" She then swallowed and wiped her mouth, embarrassed. "Sorry. That's my Uncle Qrow! He's a teacher at Signal. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing. And now, I'm all like— Hooowaaah! Witchaaaa!" Ruby now started to make some karate-style poses and noises. Ozpin replied to her, "So I've noticed." Placing his cup on the table he leaned in, then sat down opposite Ruby. "And what is an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?" He asked curiously. "Well...I want to be a Huntress." Ruby stated. Ozpin tilted his head slightly as he asked, "You want to slay monsters?" He asked. The boy could be heard muttering into the table, "Oh here we go again."  
Ruby didn't notice as she took off, "Yeah! I only have two more years of training left at Signal! And then I'm going to apply to Beacon!" She began talking faster and faster, her enthusiasm growing with each word tumbling from her mouth. "You see, my sister's starting there this year, and she's trying to become a Huntress, and I'm trying to become a Huntress 'cause I wanna help people. My parents always taught us to help others, so I thought, Hey, I might as well make a career out of it!" She giggled for a moment, then kept going. "I mean the police are alright, but Huntsmen and Huntresses are just so much more romantic and exciting and cool and really, gosh, you know!"   
She flipped out at the last part, staring at Ozpin and Glynda with a wide, crazy smile. The two studied her, then Ozpin spoke first. "Do you know who I am?" Ruby nodded, "You're Professor Ozpin. You're the headmaster at Beacon."

You finally looked up for the first time since you were brought to this room. Ozpin was smiling at Ruby. "Hello." He stated. Ozpin then looked at you, pretending to study you as Ruby told him, "Nice to meet you." Ozpin turned his attention back to Ruby. "You want to come to my school?" Ruby nodded. "More than anything." Ozpin now exchanged glances with Glynda, who showed her disapproval with a "Hmmph" before he turns back to Ruby. "Well, okay." As Ruby beamed happily she looked at you. "You hear that Y/N?! I'm going to Beacon!" She shot up, jumping around for joy. "That's great Ruby. Now can we go back before Taiyang murders me for us being so late too?" You asked worriedly. Ozpin chimed in, looking at Ruby.   
"Mrs Rose I'd actually appreciate talking to Y/N here for a moment if that's alright with you." She nodded. "No problem at all." He waved as she walked outside, your eyes following her. The moment the door shut behind her you looked to him. "You look different." Ozpin tilted his head.   
"Changing into a new body every time you die has that effect Kaizen. You've changed too I see. You've lost a lot of your muscle mass." Looking at yourself you shrugged. "Not being able to move for a couple thousand years will do that." You muttered, looking at him. "Fair point. So I assume you want some sort of vengance for that?" Ozpin asked, surprised you didn't seem to mind what happened, based on your current disposition towards him.   
"No. Why would I? I was the one at fault." You leaned back in your seat, smiling at him. "And I'm more than ready to make up for it. How do I start?" Ozpin merely looked at you with surprise. He'd been expecting you to be upset. Perhaps even on the war path to get even, and instead you wanted to do as he said to make up for what happened? "Seems you have discovered Salem lied." You nodder your head. "Of course I have." You now looked past him to the doorway. "I've noticed how easily I've adjusted to life like this. It's...different, from when we last spoke all those millenium ago." You looked at him. "That it is." He now stood up, grabbing his mug. "Come, I'll bring you back to Beacon to explain things."

"So team names here have to be based on a color?" You asked, wondering what the point of that was as you walked with Ozpin through Beacons halls, headed for his office.   
"Yes, it is a tradition we have done here at Beacon since it first came to be. In fact I got the idea of using four man teams from you and your brothers." Ozpin replied, a serene smile on his face.   
"Then what would our team name be?" You asked, tilting your head as you tried to think of one.   
"Team KRKI (Crocodile). After all, Kaen, Reiji, and Inshu all kept their original names. So for the purpose of your team name, I'll just use yours as well." You both stopped walking as you looked confused.   
"That makes no sense though, if I'm the K in the team, yet my name is Y/N now, what would anyone that looks at our team name think?" You asked, raising a valid point.   
"Well as far as anyone who knows you, they only think your homeless. We can easily claim you have a different birth name than what you use." Ozpin stated, looking at you over the rim of his glasses.  
"You already thought all of this out didn't you?" You asked. After all, Ozpin always seemed to have an answer for any question you had.  
"As a matter of fact I have. Clean slates are something I rarely get to see or interact with, so I wanted your new start to be perfect." Ozpin shrugged looking somewhat sullen. You sighed, feeling bad for him already.  
"That's fine Ozpin." You smiled, patting him on the back. "Just let me help you once in awhile huh? After all it is my life your shaping." Ozpin nodded, his sign of acknowledgement.   
"Now head on back to the ballroom. I'm sure the rest of the first years are asleep by now." You sighed as you turned on your heels and left. You so weren't ready for this. Ruby was already like a fish out of water, and you'd felt so bad abandoning the chance to help her in favor of going and catching up with your team.

"Why do we have to do this initiation process along with the others?" Inshu muttered to Ozpin, walking with you and the team.   
"Because it would seem off if I assigned you differently from the rest. Just make sure you land together and grab the same chess pieces." Ozpin muttered back, looking at him.  
"Got it." Kaen responded, standing beside you on one of the platforms as Reiji and Inshu lined up beside him.  
"Can this thing even launch him?" Inshu asked, pointing at Reiji and his behemoth frame as he looked at Ozpin.  
"Yes it can." Ozpin told him, chuckling as Reiji glared down at Inshu briefly. "I will throw you over before we get launched." Reiji growled, annoyed as Inshu merely shrugged it off with a, "Meh."

Grunting as you tucked and rolled into the ground you slowly unrolled, landing flat on your back. "Still a better landing then that Jaune guy i bet." You muttered, slowly rolling off your back and starting to sit up.   
"There you are." The menacing tone of Reiji's voice worried you as you slowly stood up and looked up at him.   
"Yeah, here I am. What's wrong?" You slowly backed up a little as he slowly strode towards you like a horror movie villain. Soon you felt your back against a tree trunk, and watched hopelessly as Reiji came near you, his Aura a burning feeling of anger before you.  
"You have some answering to do." Reiji growled, cracking his knuckles as he then quickly grabbed your throat.


	5. Reijis' Wrath

The crashing and crackling of the tree was all you could register as Reiji pulled you away from it, then threw you against it. Groaning in pain you barely registered his fist pulling away, only to come slamming back and sending you through the tree. Trying to get your senses to work again you slowly stood up, barely able to stand.  
"10,000 years. 10,000 years I spent thinking of nothing but you brother!" Reiji roared as he stormed around the tree, then towards you.   
"I made a mistake-" You began slowly, hoping to appease Reiji before this got worse.  
"You turned your back on us to serve Salem! You have no defense for that!" Again Reiji pulled his fist back, but this time you were able to put your arms up right before he hit you. Careening into another tree you bounced off it, landing on your knees. You coughed out,   
"She tricked me, I didn't know-"  
"Didn't know what?! That she was the enemy? That she was the monstrosity that we were made to do nothing but destroy?!" Reiji screamed out, all his anger at you and what happened coming to the surface for the first time. Slowly standing to your feet you again tried to reason,   
"She is the Queen of Lies brother. No one had ever lied to us before how could I-" He cut you off once more by grabbing your head in his fist, squeezing it as you were lifted off the ground. As he kept crushing your head you screamed out in pain, thrashing heavily to escape.

"Ozpin we have to do something! He'll kill Y/N if we don't!" Glynda claimed, worry evident in her voice, as they watched this exchange on her Scroll. "Glynda please, I know these boys better than anyone else would. If Reiji does not work past this, he will never be a proper Huntsman." Ozpin shuddered as he said this however. He had known Reiji harbored a grudge over what happened, but to see him possibly committing a murder for it...Ozpin had never thought it was this bad.

Screaming as Reiji's grip tightened more you felt your skull starting to strain to keep together. There was suddenly a feeling of being hit by lightning that ran through you, and your body knew what to do.   
Tightening your grip on Reiji's wrist you quickly shot your legs up and around his forearm, twisting your body around his arm while forcing him to do the same for his arm. As you kept turning he was forced to let go, less he risk snapping one of his bones. As you now kept yourself up by using your leg hold on Reiji's arm you shot around, wrapping an arm around his throat and pulling. Releasing your left leg from him you dropped it down, standing on it as you now flipped him over you. As Reiji slammed into the ground you jumped back, avoiding his wildly swinging arm.  
"Be still brother." You spoke, with another voice not entirely your own seeping through yours. "Your petty anger blinds you to the fact a mistake was made on all accounts." You tilted your head slightly as you looked at him, your eyes briefly turning a stunning blue, crackling with electric energy as you spoke again.   
"Salem's twisted words betrayed my intent. Because of it she ensured safety by dividing us four and Ozpin." As Reiji stood you dodged each hit, continuing your explanation. "She took advantage of the naivity I formerly possessed, my intent to protect Remnant was tricked to ruin the world by paving the way for her. Now grow beyond your childish hatred for me and become a man worthy of the power he once wielded."   
As he took a final, mighty swing against you, you used his momentum to slam him into a tree. Quickly you landed a single, debilitating blow against his Solar Plexus. As he crumpled, stunned and now out of breath, you stood over him. Your eyes stopped glowing, turning back to their normal color.  
"Now get up. We have a job to do." Slowly Reiji stood as you walked away, his gaze fixed on the ground. He refused to admit it but he was no longer angry with you, he was afraid of you. As far as he was aware you'd never fought since that fateful battle ten thousand years ago, yet you were still beyond his level. If you were this powerful now, he thought, how powerful would you be once the training here started?   
"Fine. At the first sign you might betray us though, I won't hesitate to rip your head off." He growled, slowly looking up at you. "You don't need to worry about that Reiji." You told him, heading north.

"See? I told you they would be able to resolve their differences." Ozpin said cheerfully, hiding his fear of you. Like Reiji, he had not expected that sudden outburst of flawless tactic, and superior ability.  
"Yes, but both of them have had their Aura rather heavily reduced by this, they might not make it to the ruins." Glynda stated cynically. Ozpin merely chuckled, looking at her with an expression that almost resembled pity.   
"Again I must remind you Glynda, I know these boys. I'm familiar with their limitations, and with their potential. So they will be fine, and they will succeed." Slowly Glynda looked at the Scroll. "Fine." She said simply, switching to go check on another group.


	6. Rogue

You slowly rode the elevator up to Ozpins office with the rest of team KRKI, wondering why he was calling you up now. "Any ideas why Oz wants to talk to us now?" Inshu asked, taking a swig from his flask. "Maybe about our performance. After all we did beat the so called 'record' for the fastest team." Kaen replied, watching the elevator doors patiently.  
"That could be. But for now let's just say this, we should watch teams RWBY and JNPR closely. The way they took down that giant Nevermore and Deathstalker like they did definitely warrants some attention." You interrupted the two, closing your eyes as you played the scene back in your head. Ruby especially had caught your attention with the fact she had been the one to kill the Nevermore.

The elevator doors sliding open snapped you out of it as you then walked forward, entering Ozpins office with the team behind you. "Hello team KRKI." Ozpin stood up from his desk, walking around and shaking everyone's hand briefly. "What did you need Oz?" Inshu asked, grabbing a seat and sliding it under him as he sat down.  
"Well I wanted to talk to you all about a student." You looked at Ozpin curiously. "A Mr. Rogue Ken." Ozpin set a tablet on his desk, tapping the button and turning it into a projector. "Several packs of Beowolves. Each of them with about a dozen Beowolves a piece. Three Deathstalkers, each as large as a house. Five Ursa as big as the Beowolves, and four standard sized Borbatusks." Kaen listed everything you saw around Rogue in the footage.  
"Yes. Now watch what happens when they attack him." Ozpin instructed, all of you watching silently as he started the footage. You all watched in awe as he stood, launching himself at them.  
The Beowolves and Borbatusks rushing him went down first, turning into dust in less than a minute. "Thirty eight seconds. Impressive." Kaen murmured.  
Next were the Ursa, who were fairly cautious at first, trying to circle him. It didn't do any good, he pounced on them, slicing their heads. "Twelve." Kaen muttered again, referring to how quick Rogue was killing the Grimm.  
Finally he went after the Deathstalkers, slicing their heads or abdomens to kill them. Except the last, and biggest one. That one he merely mutilated. It's claws and stinger were cleaved off, and while it was trying to recover he leapt on it, stabbing its back over and over.  
"What's he doing to that thing?" Inshu asked, his flask stopped beneath his lips. "He's taking out his frustration on it." Reiji's voice got your attention, all of you turning to him. "If he had wanted it dead, he'd have killed it as quick as the others. And everything he's doing to that creature is just hurting it." You slowly looked to Kaen, who'd already turned back to watch the footage. "He's right. He killed the first two in twenty six seconds. But this one he's taken more than he did to kill everything else. And he's still going."

You all watched, two minutes finally passing before he stabbed it one last time, killing it.  
"Ozpin. What does this have to do with us?" You asked, looking to the old man as he sat at his desk. "Frankly...He is just too advanced to be a simple first year student. So once the first years are allowed to take on missions, I would like you all to take him with you on the ones I give you." Everyone looked to you, since you were the leader it was really your call that decided it completely.  
"Well?" Inshu asked, gesturing for you to answer. "If it eases your decision any Kaizen-" You waved Ozpin off. "Y/N. My name's Y/N now. I'm not fit to be called Kaizen anymore." You saw Inshus' somewhat proud smile out of the corner of your eye, as well as Kaen's respectful nod. Even if they weren't entirely used to the fact that you were the leader, they could see you'd grown up in your two thousand years. "Well, Y/N. The only reason he lost his temper like that was because he believed he failed the entry exam and was going to be expelled. I've already spoken with him about staying at Beacon, and he shouldn't have any further incidents." You looked at everyone on the team one last time before looking at Ozpin.

"We'll take him with us. Talent like that shouldn't be squandered." Ozpin nodded, grabbing the tablet. "When the first years are allowed on missions I'll get you all together to give you your first one. For now just try to be normal." You all chuckled at that, knowing KRKI was far from a normal team.

You sat with the rest of team KRKI, waiting with Ozpin for Rogue to arrive. It had been months since you'd all arrived, and by now you were rather well adjusted to things. "So any idea how he's gonna respond to this?" You asked, looking back at Ozpin. Ozpin merely shrugged lightly. "I don't know really. He seems dead set on being a great Huntsman, but there's no way to know for certain how anyone will react to this." Kaen glanced over at the two of you. "If we tell him the bare minimum, he will likely be less overwhelmed. I say tell him only what you want us to do, not the why or who of it."

As the doors slid open Rogue stepped into the office, freezing in place as he saw Ozpin had you all already there. "Um. Sorry, I'll come back." Ozpin called out to him just before he went back into the open elevator. "Quite the contrary Mr. Ken, I wanted to introduce you to these fine gentlemen." Rogue now slowly turned back to look at everyone.  
He saw Reiji first, and seemed to shrink back a bit as he saw Reiji was taller than even that second year Yatsuhashi.  
Next he saw Inshu just sitting in a chair like a delinquent, his back against one arm rest as his legs rested over the other.  
Third was Kaen as he stood there, rigid with an air of discipline.  
Finally his gaze fell on you. Standing by Ozpins desk, leaning against it.  
He pointed to you. "Your the leader aren't you." You nodded slowly, smiling at the wolf Faunus. "How'd you know?" He shrugged, slowly walking forward a bit awkwardly. Like a child who was in a parent teacher conference, worried one wrong step might get you in trouble. "You just have that kinda look about you. Just...confident." He shrugged again, muttering horribly.  
"Just our luck that the biggest badass outside of our team is a socially awkward mess." You looked down at Inshu, not hesitating to haul back and smack him upside the head. "Inshu what's wrong with you?" You chided, walking over to Rogue. "Ignore him. He just doesn't have any manners. You'll warm up to us I'm sure." You pat his shoulder reassuringly, making him look up shyly. "Thanks. Sorry if I'm gonna be a problem." He went to look down again.  
"None of that." You told him, pulling his head up by the chin. "Just look at us. Nothing to be afraid of." He slowly looked at the team, all of them doing their best to try and look as unthreatening as possible. "Welcome to team KRKI (Crocodile)." You pat his back pulling him with you to the desk.

"So why am I here to meet them?" Rogue asked Ozpin, you and everyone else waiting by the elevator for him. "A matter of logistics. They are a...special team I happen to know personally. Because of this, I know what their capable of. So i trust them with missions I usually reserve for the upper class men. After your performance in the entry exam, and with all your classes being so easy for you. I decided that you are going to be given the same missions as them. At least. If you are ok with this, that is."  
You noticed Rogue smiling at the fact Ozpin was willing to trust him with such an important task as working on high level missions. "You get to see the world, and all with a team of Beacons finest at your side." Inshu proclaimed, chuckling. "And with a team backing you, you don't have to carry the burden entirely on your shoulders." You told him, hoping to relax him.  
He nodded vigorously. "I'll do it sir." Ozpin smiled warmly, nodding to the team. You all walked up to him as Ozpin stood now. "Well for now, what with the festival coming and all. We will need to be focusing a little heavily on our domestic situation. I'd like for all of you to keep your eyes peeled once the students from the other Academies start arriving here. Team KRKI I want you to focus on the teams as a unit, human and Faunus alike. Rogue, what I would like for you to do is keep an eye out for any of your fellow Faunus acting strange. The White Fang might try something this year, and you're our best chance if we require an infiltration."  
You all nodded in response. "Understood Ozpin. We can handle that." You replied, giving a brief and sincere salute before heading for the elevator. The rest of the team quickly turned and followed, with Rogue rushing after you as well.

"Blake's a big girl, I'm sure she can handle herself!" You glanced up from the textbooks you and Kaen were using to get Ruby caught up. You glanced at Weiss for yelling that out. You'd barely paid attention to Ruby saying something about Blake being gone, before Weiss yelled. Reading again you heard Yang, then lost concentration as Weiss yelled again. "Is she? We all heard what she said!" You sighed to yourself, trying to read again.  
"What's going on?" You heard Rogue asked quietly, yawning through it. He must have just gotten up from a nap. You watched as he walked over to the side of the room Blake and Yang had, seeing Inshu on Yang's bed. "Their arguing about something Blake did. We haven't asked yet." Rogue glanced around, spotting you and Kaem sitting on the bed opposite him, working on Ruby's homework.  
"What did Blake do to get you so upset Weiss?" You looked to her, and watched as she whirled on Rogue, angrily explaining. "She's a White Fang terrorist!" She shouted, failing to notice Rogues ears drop, or his mouth turn to a frown. "What makes you say that?" You noted the tension in his voice, spotting his one hand flexing into a fist a few times. "She said as much. Trying to make the White Fang out to be misjudged freedom fighters instead of what they are. Terrorists." You sighed deeply, rubbing your forehead along with Rogue.  
Normally you'd agree. But Blake was the last person you'd label a terrorist. Even if you barely knew the girl. "Weiss, look. While I agree the White Fang isn't the best, I'm sure Blake had a good reason." Rogue started, trying to keep things from getting bad. "She's White Fang. There's no good reason for that. Their nothing but pure evil." Rogue growled out a response. "Not everyone that's been in the White Fang is evil Weiss." Weiss crossed her arms now, getting heated. "Oh really?! What makes you say that? Are your parents terrorists too?!" That was it.

In a matter of seconds, Weiss was on the ground, and Inshu was between Rogue and her. "Rogue that's enough!" You yelled, now shooting to your feet, getting off the bed. Weiss looked positively terrified of the Faunus. "Outside, now." You ordered. Inshu pushed Rogue to the door, obeying you. "No. This bitch deserves to get some sense knocked into her!" Rogue tried to step towards her, but you immediately blocked his path, grabbing hold of his shirt. "Outside. I'm not saying it again." You growled, watching Rogues ears flattening again as he reluctantly obeyed, backing up as he glared at Weiss. Once the door shut between you two, you looked to him.  
"What's wrong with you?" His fists balled up tighter. "Me?! She's the one trying to accuse my parents of being terrorists because I stood up for a friend!" You held up a hand so Rogue knew he wasn't going to be ranting about this. He seemed to obey, not speaking again after you put your hand up. "That may be, but attacking her is far from a good idea." You began, leaning on the door.  
"Seems like a beatings all that's getting through her stuck up head though." Rogue muttered, glaring at the ground. You gave him a light hit on the head for it. "None of that." You insisted, your tone rather harsh. "You can't just beat people to make them see your point of view on things. Sometimes people are going to disagree with you, and you need to learn to accept that." Rogue kept his gaze down. "If you can't, then don't keep going with the argument." You watched him nod slowly. "Yes sir." He replied, slowly looking up at you.  
"Good. Now your going to apologise to Weiss-No arguments." You cut yourself off as he went to protest. "If you act like an adult about it your the bigger person. That's better than being on her level of pettyness and attacking her." Rogue slowly sighed, looking at his feet.

Rogue slowly walked back in, still looking at the ground for the moment. Weiss was sitting on her bunk, looking out the window. You watched as Rogue forced himself to walk over, standing in front of her. "Weiss. I'm sorry for trying to attack you." Weiss slowly looked at you. "And I'm...sorry for insulting your parents." She said, clearly forcing it.  
You glanced to Kaen, who was sitting above her. He gestured for Rogue to continue. "It's alright. I shouldn't have reacted like I did." You smiled at the two, watching Rogue holding out his hand. "Truce?" She looked to him. Then his hand. Then back to him. Slowly she reached out and shook it. "Truce." She said softly.


	7. A New Foe

"Care to explain to me why you guys didn't want to help us look for Blake?" Rogue asked over his Scroll, currently talking to you. "Ozpin texted us not long before you guys decided to go looking for Blake. He has a lead he wants us to follow. So we can't help."  
You could hear Rogue grumbling to himself at that response. "What happened to me working with you guys? Why am I not being included?" He demanded in a somewhat bratty tone. "It's a stealth reconnaissance mission. We don't really need you along since it's just me and Kaen as it is. Anyone else and we'd risk getting spotted." You didn't hear him say anything for a moment.  
"Ok. Be sure to tell me all about it when we get back." You chuckled now. "Alright. Will do Rogue." With that you both hung up.

You knelt down on top of the crumbling roof, watching the Grimm move about. "Remind me again why Ozpin sent us here?" You asked, already getting bored. "He said an informant told him there was something big here." You looked at Kaen, a blank look on your face. "What could possibly be out here that's big enough for us to get involved?"  
Just then a massive roar filled the around you, making you turn just in time to see one of the Goliath's outside the city wall evaporating. "Never mind." You muttered fearfully. You could tell those things were strong, so just what could possibly bring it down? As the rest stampeded you saw a brief flash of black. "Did you see that?" Kaen pointed where you'd seen the brief movement. "Of course I did. What was it?" You demanded, pulling out the binoculars Ozpin had given you before you left.  
Looking to that same spot you caught sight of a jet black figure with hints of crimson beneath the metal plates of it's armor. Just as you noticed his arm aimed right at you, you were knocked off your feet, the binoculars flying out of your hands, one of the lenses shattering. "Shit, he saw us." You slowly managed to sit up as Kaen turned, running by you and helping you to your feet. "We need to get out of here." You stated, running for opposite end of the roof with Kaen at your side.  
"No you don't." A sultry voice replied, a shadow darting across your vision. You both stopped dead, feeling a chill run through you. "What, I can't move." Kaen struggled to try moving, not having much success. "What is this?" You asked, your body frozen in place but trembling.  
"Fear." That sultry voice came again, this time between you two. You tried to turn your head to see the woman speaking, but couldn't. You did however feel a cold hand caress your shoulder. "This is fear, fallen Guardians." Your trembling grew still, and your blood felt frozen in your veins now.  
"How do you know what we are?" Kaen demanded, his Aura manifesting as an attempt to break loose of whatever kept you frozen. "Takes one to know one. Isn't that the phrase?" The woman asked, slowly trailing into view. "Salem?" You demanded, your eyes widening in horror. "Oh? Is that who you see? I didn't think you feared her that much." The woman's hand caressed your face now, and you saw the true form of this new enemy.  
She was pale yes, but only a humanly amount. Nothing like Salem. Her eyes glowed an infernal crimson, reminding you of the view inside a volcano. Calm, but volatile. She was dressed like the myths of succubus and seductive mages. Of course that was all just myths. Then again, myths didn't freeze you in place like this woman had.   
"Who...are you, exactly? I don't believe I've ever seen you before?" She asked, smiling as she inched closer. "I'd remember such a remarkable face." You snarled in disgust. Maybe the seductive part of her outfit was more telling than you'd thought. "Ok, no." You suddenly felt the cold chill leave you, and you quickly kicked the woman off you.  
"Dammit, I didn't think you'd overcome it that quickly. No matter." She went to look at you again, only to catch a boot to the face. She screamed in pain as she reeled back. "Kaen can you move?" You didn't glance back, too busy keeping her away from you and him. "Yeah, seems her magic is easier to disrupt when she's not focused." She screamed a scream of pure anger, yelling at something behind you. "Thats it! Wulf, kill them now!"

You spun around quickly, only seeing a black mass of shadows before it slammed into you, flinging you off the roof. Crying out in surprise you spun through the air, quickly slamming through the window of a building across the street. "Yep. Really missing my powers right about now." You slowly rolled over, trying to get back on your feet.  
Despite the screaming protests of your muscles you did so, getting on your feet and walking to the window. "Last time I do recon Oz. Last time." You muttered to yourself as you ran out the window now, landing on your feet this time as Kaen landed on the sidewalk opposite you on the street. "We need to go." He declared, running for the way out.  
"Agreed!" You took off after him, refusing the urge to turn and look when you heard a massive thud of someone slamming into the sidewalk. "We need to-" You were cut off as someone slammed into you again, sending you into a building, knocking you through the walls with ease.  
This time you'd managed to activate your Aura soon enough, surviving this with far less pain than the window. Falling on the road you groaned out in pain. "Why me?!" You demanded of the sky, trying to get up. "Your the one that upset Geiss. And when she's upset, she calls on me."   
You screamed in pain as a metal encased foot slammed down on your head. You felt the very concrete even, crack against your head when it was hit. "A pity, I was having so much fun hunting those Goliath's." He now grabbed you by the collar, pulling you up and off your feet. He was massive, probably almost as big as Reiji. But it seemed like his metal armor was what gave him at least part of that size.  
"My bad. Tell this Geiss girl not to act like a creepy rapist next time and I won't hit her." You coughed out, only to receive a punch to the face. Groaning you let it go limp, looking up to the sky. "What do you want me to do to get out of this?" You asked him, your strained voice showing just how much it hurt right now.  
"Die." He replied, quickly releasing your shirt only to grab your throat. You gagged as he started squeezing. "Well..." You thought to yourself. "Least I get to die without having to see Salem again." You coughed as you felt your lungs burn witn their need for air, your vision quickly blurring on the edges.

There was a loud pounding in your ears, and suddenly you fell to the ground, coughing as air flooded your lungs. "Get up. I'm not dragging a body back." You felt Kaen grab you and drag you to your feet. "Give me a minute." You croaked out, breathing deeply.  
"He almost choked me to death thank you very much. I kinda need to catch my breath after that." Kaen sighed, looking to the menace. He was on the ground, growling as he slowly started to get up. "Never mind. I can run now." You turned, this time making sure Kaen was behind you.   
As you sprinted through the streets you got curious. "How'd you get him off me?" You demanded, glancing behind you. "Hit him with a cinder block I picked up. Pumped it with Aura to make it sort of explode when it hit him." Kaen explained casually. You glanced back at him. "Woah woah woah, don't just blow past that like you just blew past it." You leapt over a car. "We'll discuss it back at Beacon." Kaen cut you off from pushing him further. "Fine."

"Let them go Wulf." Geiss ordered, approaching her servant from behind. Wrath merely growled, turning to her. "Why?" The woman smiled, patting the metal clad chest of her loyal protector. "We will be seeing them enough in the future. And when we do, you can hunt them at your leisure." Geiss watched as you ran off into the distance with Kaen, none the wiser that you were safe. This time...

You sat silent in the Bullhead, thinking deeply as the pilot steered you back to Beacon. "What's going through your head?' Kaen asked, looking at you from his spot on the opposite side of the bullhead.  
"We need to get ourselves weapons. We can't be caught off guard like that again if we want to make it through the fight. When we get back I'll talk to Ozpin and start making them." You slowly looked at Kaen, who was giving you an odd look. "Why make them?" You shrugged. "We can make custom weapons for far cheaper and a lot faster than just purchasing them." He shrugged, looking out the window. "Fine. Your call."


	8. The Dance

You woke to the sounds of Kaen and Inshu staggering into your dorm room. Sitting up you looked at them. "What took you guys so long?" You asked in a hushed voice, not wanting to wake up Reiji.  
"Turns out Roman's working with the White Fang. We were trying to stop some little girl that apparently works with him, but she handed our asses to us." Inshu carefully sat down before laying in bed.  
"She probably wouldn't have if you hadn't made a reference to a movie that only you have seen. You completely distracted myself and Rogue when you did that." Kaen grumbled, moving with the same slowness as Inshu.  
"Are you guys ok?" You asked them, noticing their winces of pain.  
"No. Kaen rolled his ankle and I broke my ribs." Inshu told you, pointing to your teammate as he tried to fall asleep.   
"You guys see anyone about it?" You asked, getting up to go find someone in case they hadn't.  
"Of course we did. We went and saw Professor Oobleck. He said we'll be fine if we get some sleep, because our Aura will replenish and heal us afterwards." You visibly relaxed as Kaen told you that.   
"Alright you guys. Just get some sleep." You told them, getting into bed again to sleep.

You watched as team RWBY helped prep the ballroom for the dance, a little intimidated by how easily Yang was carrying a set of massive speakers. Even Reiji, who was doing the same as Yang, seemed put off by her strength.  
"Thats why I dont let her grab anything on me." Inshu chuckled as he walked up to you and Kaen, taking a deep sip of his drink before putting his flask back in his pocket.  
"I didn't need to know that..." You replied, a little disgusted by your teammates statement. He merely shrugged before walking off again, to do who knows what.

The night of the dance finally arrived, with you standing on the sidelines and watching. You didnt much care for crowds, especially since you didn't know most of the people there. You glanced around, noticing Ozpin approach you in your peripheral.  
"Hello Headmaster Ozpin." You greeted him, in case anyone would hear you.  
"I'm surprised your standing here on the sidelines Mr. Y/N. I would have thought you'd be interested in a dance with someone." He smiled as he looked at you, enjoying your familiar presence.  
"Not particularly. While I do find it interesting, it's not really my thing." You looked around again, taking in the sights of the people enjoying themselves.  
"Well as I just finished telling Ms. Rose, fighting and dancing aren't so different. Two partners locked together, although one wrong move here in the ballroom merely leads to a swollen foot." You both shared a chuckle.  
"I agree Headmaster. Though I think just this once I'll miss it. There's something I've been meaning to check that you reminded me of." Ozpin looked to you curiously, following long enough to finish out the conversation.  
"Oh? And what is that?" He swirled the contents of his mug before drinking from it.  
"I wanted to look into my past." Ozpin's expression tightened ever so subtly. You were the Stormking, back before you'd been manipulated by Salem into attempting to betray him. What could you possibly want to find out about yourself?  
"Ah yes. Perhaps you might find that information in the CCT towers database some other time." He now stopped. You looked over to him, confused.  
"Some other time? Why not now?" You turned to face him now. Ozpin's expression grew a little more serious. His voice dropped to a whisper now.  
"That informations classified. I'd need to do some digging to find it myself, let alone give you access to it. Stay here for tonight. I'll find whatever there is for me to find later." You slowly shifted your weight between your feet.  
"Alright. I'll stay. Thanks Headmaster." He nodded, walking past you. Though he stopped, muttering one last thing where only you would hear after a moments thought.  
"Keep an eye on Ms. Rose please. As I believe her eyes may be the key to this war, we can't afford to lose any edge." You nodded, walking off to find Ruby.

Ozpin walked along, sighing. You were no doubt one of his loyalist supporters now. But he still did not believe it wise to tell you every part of the tale you'd been absent from for 10,000 years. The Silver Eyes, the Maidens, Salem and her...He pushed the last thought from his mind. He wouldn't let that prevent him from moving forward, not this time. Besides, at least you'd have something productive to do.

You managed to spot Ruby just as she walked out of the ballroom. You quickly tailed her, starting to get worried. Ozpin telling you about Ruby's eyes being important when he did had to have been for a reason. Was she in danger? Did something happen you didn't know about?  
When Ruby paused for a moment you opened your mouth to greet her so she knew you were there. Then she seemed to see something on the roofs across the way and started to chase after it. You did the same.  
Hazarding a glance away from Ruby you saw the figure running along the roof tops Ruby was chasing. Now you could see why she took off.

Seeing Ruby stop and pull out your Scroll you did the same, still running up behind her.   
"Ruby, any idea who that was you were chasing?" You asked this as both lockers slammed into the ground beside you, opening to reveal you and Ruby's weapons inside.  
"No I dont. But theres a guard here she knocked out." She motioned behind her as you grabbed your axe from the locker.  
"Lets get after her then."

You watched as the elevator doors opened. Ruby stepped out of the elevator first, slowly, brandishing Crescent Rose.

"Hello?" You noticed that she stumbled due to her high-heeled shoes. "Is anyone there? Hello?"  
Noticing movement out of the corner of your eye you turned to see the intruder rise from her hiding place and steps out toward Ruby.

"Excuse me? You know, it's not a masquerade party, so why don't you take off that-!" The woman now produced a container of ice Dust, forming and sending shards of ice flying at the two of you.  
Ruby reacted faster than you, spinning Crescent Rose and blocking the ice shards before firing several shots at the woman. The woman seemed to absorb the Dust from each shot, parts of her outfit glowing as she did. When Ruby finally stopped firing you rushed the woman, who had formed a pair of sword blades now.

You swung at her, only for her to leap back, forming a bow and shooting at you. Unfortunately you didn't move back, forcing you to take the blast and fly back, knocking into Ruby. As you both fell to the ground you heard the elevator opening, looking up to see Ironwood. You both looked back at the woman, only to find she had vanished.   
"How the hell?" You muttered to yourself. Picking yourself up you shared a look with Ruby. As Ironwood approached you and Ruby you glanced to a computer screen, which displayed a black chess piece. A queen.

You stood silently with Ruby as you rode the elevator up to Ozpins office, last night still in your mind. As the doors opened you noticed the tense atmosphere of the room, Ruby spoke first as you both stepped out.   
"Sorry it took so long. Someone accidentally hit all the buttons on the elevator on the way up here." She paused before quickly explaining herself as you looked at her. "It wasn't me." Ozpin spoke now.  
"Thank you for coming, Ruby, Y/N. How are you feeling?" Again Ruby spoke first.  
"Okay, I guess. I'd feel better if my bad-guy-catching record wasn't O-for-three." You again gave Ruby a sideways glance as everyone silently stared at her. "Okay, so that's the tone we're going for, got it."  
"Ruby, Y/N, I feel it's appropriate to let you both know that I think what you did last night is exactly what being a Huntress and a Huntsman is all about. You recognized a threat. You took action. And you did the very best you could." Ironwood told you.  
"Thank you, sir." You and Ruby replied in unison. Ozpin now spoke.  
"Now, the general here has already informed us of the events that... transpired last night, but now that you've both rested, we were wondering if you had anything to add."  
Goodwitch now cut in. "Was anyone else with her? Did she look familiar to you at all?" You shook your head, trying to rack your mind if you had recognized the woman.  
"I... I don't know. She was wearing a mask, and she never said anything to me. But I know she fought with glass. I don't think that was her Semblance, though. Her clothing lit up whenever she attacked." Ruby told everyone, to which you finally spoke.  
"Yeah. Thats about it."  
"Save for the glass, that sounds like the woman I fought the night we met these two." Goodwitch spoke up.  
"Embedding Dust into clothing is an age-old technique. It could have been anyone." Ironwood interjected, only for Ruby to realize something about what Goodwitch said.  
"Wait. You think this girl is connected to Torchwick and the White Fang?" You looked to Ozpin, who now spoke.  
"It's possible. But we still lack the required evidence to link the two together." You kept quiet at that, knowing you and your team would most likely get assigned a mission to find that evidence.  
"Actually, I... I think I remember her saying something about a hideout, or something, in the southeast. Just outside the Kingdom." You barely kept your reaction under control as Ruby said that. The woman hadn't said a word, that hideout came up when Rogue was with Blake and Sun at the White Fang rally Torchwick had been at. It was a White Fang camp most likely.  
Ozpin merely said one word. "Interesting."  
"I thought you said the intruder never-" Ozpin quickly cut off Goodwitch.  
"Thank you for your cooperation, you two. Ruby, why don't you go and spend some time with your team? You have a big day ahead of you." Ruby turned, starting to leave as she responded.  
"Anytime." Ozpin called after her now.  
"And Miss Rose, please try and be... discreet about this matter." Ruby replied with a simple yes sir. The moment the elevator closed behind her and began to travel down you turned to face Ozpin.  
"Call your team Y/N." Ozpin told you. You nodded, producing your Scroll and texting the rest of KRKI, as well as Rogue.  
"They'll be here in a few minutes." You told him, putting your Scroll back in your pocket.  
"Good." Ozpin leaned back in his chair, sipping whatever was in that mug of his. Ironwood now spoke up.  
"Well there we have it. We send as many troops as we can to the southeast, find out exactly what's going on, and eradicate any forces that stand in our way." Goodwitch spoke up just before you did.  
"Why must your answer to everything involve a triumphant display of military bravado!? You treat every situation like it's a contest of measuring di—!"  
"Glynda!" Ozpin cut her off, leaving you contemplating the fact Goodwitch even could, let alone would, curse.  
"Well, he does." She retorted.  
"She's right. As much as I too would love to end this situation once and for all, we must remember that this may go beyond Vale. Beyond Beacon. And if this truly is part of some master plan for which we know not the final move, we mustn't be so bold. Nor can we risk the spread of panic." Ozpin told you all.

"I have served you faithfully for years... but if you mean to tell me that your plan is to really hold the defenses, and wait-" Ozpin shot up from his seat, cutting Ironwood off.  
"It is not! You're a general, James. So tell me, when you prepare to go to war, which do you send in first? The flag bearers, or the scouts?" Everyone froze as Reiji's powerful voice behind you answered.  
"Neither. You send us."


	9. Scouts

"So where are you shipping us off to this time Ozpin?" Inshu asked, leaning on Kaen, everyone else waiting for the Headmasters response. Ozpin adjusted his glasses, then answered.  
"Normally I would send you all to the base that's been mentioned by Ms. Rose, on your own, but..." He sat back down now, calm after his and Ironwoods arguement. "Team RWBY, as I'm sure the five of you have experienced, tend to do things...outside of their parameters. So, this time you are to shadow them. Make sure that they don't cause too much trouble." You all shared a look.  
"Your going to send them to that base with us 'tagging along' aren't you?" You asked Ozpin, looking him dead in the eyes.  
"Yes. If I send them on a formal mission to shadow a professional Huntsman who will be going to that region they will at least be in more capable hands than if they took it upon themselves to go. Even if they brought you five along to join them, it would still be too great a risk to take." Ozpin leaned forward now. "So this mission is going to be just as much yours as it is theirs." You turned to your teammates, who didn't seem to have a problem with the plan.   
You turned back to Ozpin now. "When do we leave?"

"Oh fuck." Inshu stated before disolving into laughter as you approached the landing pad.   
"What?" You asked your teammate, looking to the landing pad.  
"Look who team RWBY has to shadow." He barely managed to speak, laughing the whole time. Everyone spotted team RWBY, who were currently being railed at by...Professor Oobleck.  
You all shared a look, begininng to laugh as well.  
"I mean. At least he wont leave them in suspense when he gives them orders." Rogue added, laughing as Inshu held on to him for balance. This comment sent another wave of laughter through the group.  
Finally everyone began to calm down, the laughter dying out.  
"Ah. As much as I loved that, we really need to get going guys." You told everyone, letting go of Kaen's shoulder and waiting for everyone else to recover. Once everyone was composed you walked to the landing pad again, team RWBY headed for the airship.  
"Uh guys. Theres only one airship on the landing pad." Rogue pointed out, making you all realize you'd all have to deal with Oobleck. Inshu spoke, voicing everyone's collective opinion.  
"Fuck."

You were stood behind Ruby, leaning against the wall while you were looking at the Professor as you all flew above the city.  
You glanced around at everyone else. Rogue was standing next to Blake, predictably, Kaen and Reiji were standing along side the closed door on the right side of the airship, and Inshu was standing next to you, behind Yang. She was the first one to speak to break the tension.  
"I guess I just never saw you as much of a fighter." You all silently agreed as Oobleck replied.  
"I admit I fancy myself more of an intellectual, but I can assure you, as a Huntsman, I've had my fair share of tussles." Ruby spoke up, scratching her head in confusion.  
"Like the mushroom?" Blake leaned over, trying to correct her.  
"Those are truffles." Ruby still scratched her head in confusion.  
"Like the sprout?" Yang tried to correct Ruby now, leaning over as well.  
"Those are Brussels." Oobleck comtinued on now with his fast talk.  
"Besides, given my expertise in the field of history as well as my dabblings in the archaeological surveys, our dear headmaster saw fit to assign me to this particular... assignment!" Weiss brought up the question you all had from that. "What does history have to do with this?"  
Oobleck rounded on her quickly, rapidly chattering on. "Why, what a preposterous question, you silly girl! Why, history is the backbone of our very society! And the liver! Probably the kidneys, if I were to wager." You and Inshu shared an unamused look. You were both practically history incarnate, along with Reiji and Kaen. So Ooblecks value of history was lost on the four of you.  
"And that means what for us?" Kaen asked the Professor.  
"The southeast quadrant outside of Vale is home to wild forests and deep caves, but it is also the location to one of the kingdom's greatest failures!" Ruby spoke up just as you and Kaen shared a look.  
"Mountain Glenn." The three of you said this in unison. Yang spoke up again as something clicked in her head.  
"That's right! It was an expansion of Vale... but in the end it was overrun by Grimm and fenced off from the rest of the city." Oobleck adjusted his glasses and smiled.  
"Precisely."

The airship came in over a spot of street amidst the ruined buildings and structures of the ruined area. It hovered right above the ground as everyone jumped out of the craft with their weapons drawn, except for Oobleck, who simply held his coffee canister, before the ship flew away from the destruction.  
"Ladies! Gentlemen! You still may be students, but as of this moment, your first mission as Huntresses and Huntsman has begun! From this point forward, you need to do exactly as I say! Do you understand?" As your team traded looks with each other, you jumped as Oobleck now started to yell again.  
"Ruby! I thought I told you to leave all of your bags back at school." Everyone now turned to her as she replied.  
"But, uh, you hadn't told us to listen to you yet. So I didn't." Your team immediately looked anywhere but Oobleck, trying not to laugh as the professor muttered to himself.  
"She's not wrong..." He quickly looked to her again. "Very well, Ruby; leave your bag here, we can pick it up upon our return." You noticed Ruby's suspicious reaction wondering just what she had hidden in there.  
"But I, well uh-"  
"Young lady, what in the world could you possibly have in that bag that could be so important to bring it with..." As Oobleck stopped talking for once, everyone looked to Ruby to see a dog sticking it's head out.  
You realized you'd seen that same corgi in the Xiao Long-Rose house before coming to Beacon. Ruby had somehow brought Zwei with her to this expedition.  
"Get back in the bag." Zwei merely barked in response to Ruby.  
"We're here to investigate an abandoned urban jungle teeming with death and hostility, and you brought... a dog?" You all watched as Oobleck suddenly seemed to do a 180, suddenly zipping by Ruby, and grabbing Zwei.   
"Genius! Canines are historically known for their perceptive nose and heightened sense of sound, making them excellent companions for a hunt such as ours!" As Zwei barked happily in Ooblecks hands you looked to your team, who in turn looked to you.   
"Just go with it." You whispered to your team, who were all watching Oobleck with varying degrees of regret. You now turned back to watch. just as Blake spoke up.  
"So, what are your orders, Doctor?" Oobleck looked to Blake now, then replied in another long rant.  
"Ah, yes, straight to the chase; I like it!" You watched as Oobleck suddenly let go of Zwei, who was suspended in the air for less than a second before dropping down, while Oobleck put his hands behind his back for a serious pose.   
"As you've been informed, the southeast area has been marked as a recent hot spot for Grimm activity. Now, there are several possible explanations for this behavior, one of which being...Grimm." Everyone looked at each other, Ruby speaking up first.  
"Uh, what?" You now noticed Oobleck looking past everyone, down the road. You looked that way and now saw what he was talking about.  
"Grimm. A creature of Grimm approximately one hundred yards from us at this very moment." As everyone looked that way, you looked to Rogue, who didn't seem shocked. He looked back at you, shaking his head slowly.   
As everyone went to draw their weapons you continued watching Rogue, who didnt bother to try and draw his swords. Oobleck now shouted, "Stop!"  
Everyone, sans Rogue, looked to him, you included. "There are a number of reasons why Grimm will congregate in this particular area, the most likely of which will be their attraction to negativity: sadness, envy, loneliness, hatred. All qualities that are likely held by our hidden group harboring ill intent." You looked to Rogue, inching over to him and tapping his arm.   
As Oobleck continued to explain to the girls and the rest of your team you asked him, "You already knew that didn't you." He slowly nodded, giving a pained look. Then simply pointed to the Beowulf down the street, who was now joined by its pack.  
Oobleck now, surprisignly calmly, proclaimed, "And now they've seen us." Rogue sighed, face palming. You began to get the feeling he was over qualified for this conversation.  
As everyone drew their weapons you pat him on the back. "You'll make it." He groaned in response.

"Heh. Piece of cake!" Ruby proclaimed, the Grimm all dissappearing as they laid dead.  
"Do not celebrate yet, for I am certain this is the first bout of many. Shall we continue?" You shared a look with Rogue, who looked bored. Not that you could blame him for it.

You bit back every thought that crossed your mind as you returned your axe to your back. You'd just finished killing the latest batch of Grimm, and were now watching as Oobleck rooted through a plant as Grimm parts fell around him from the fight, circled by everyone as they looked at him.  
As the newest batch of slain monster corpses started smoking, he happily cried out, "Excellent work, boys and girls! Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be any signs of criminal operations in this sector. Oh, well! Moving on!" You shared a glare with Inshu, the last person you expected to be as bothered as you were.  
You all started to walk after the professor, Yang speaking up. "Hey, Doc, y'know, I was actually looking forward to seeing a "pro Huntsman" in action. Like, fighting, or at least, helping us fight?"  
Oobleck talked over his shoulder as he replied, "Ah, but I am in action! Scouring the ruins of this once-great city for any signs of irregularity!" He now fully turned to the teams. "Not every mission is filled with daring and heroism. Sometimes it's just a heightened form of extermination!"  
You noticed Yang's reluctant expression. "Remember, this is a job, and you all signed up for it. I do hope you understand that."  
Yang replied again. "Well, yeah..." You noticed she seemed to be trying to sound more resolute with her answer. "O-Of course!"  
"Hmm..."

After the last of the fighting for the day, you and your team stood with team RWBY, Ruby asking Oobleck a question. "Uh... Are we ready to keep going?" Oobleck gave another long winded response.  
"Nope! I believe that will have to do for today. It's going to be dark soon." You watched as he threw his bag over to Yang, who made a sound when she caught it. "You six, set up camp in that building. Oh, and please do make sure there are no more of those... creatures. Your leaders and I are going to secure the perimeter. Come, Ruby, Y/N."


	10. Underground

You, Oobleck, and Ruby rounded the corner of a building, spotting a herd of Goliaths marching along through the woods. "Whaaaa..." Ruby said in awe. "What is that? It looks awesome!" You on the other hand, shivered at the memory of what happened last time you saw those things.  
"That, my dear girl, is a Grimm." Oobleck told her. Ruby stared at the lumbering mass of monsters in amazement and awe before pulling out Crescent Rose in it's gun form. "Let's kill it."  
"I'm afraid your sniper rifle will do nothing more than agitate a Grimm of that size." This put it into perspective how badly you'd been outclassed by Wulf the last time you had come here, if he could kill something that a normal Huntress' weapon would merely annoy.  
"But... What if it attacks us?"  
"Fret not, Ruby; those Goliaths are not concerned with us. Ruby, not every Grimm is mindless, or rather not every Grimm is still mindless. You see, the Grimm you see before you are so powerful, so superior to the Grimm you fought, that they've undoubtedly lived hundreds of years, and in that time between killing humans and attacking our borders, they have done one important thing: They've learned. They've learned that when they attack our borders, they're likely to die, and what we lack in strength, we make up for in will, and that killing one human will only bring more."  
You watched now as one Goliath swiveled its thick neck to look at the figures watching the procession of Goliaths, eyes glowing as fiery red as any other Grimm.  
"Then why are they still so close to the city? What are they doing?" You replied just as Oobleck did.  
"Waiting." Now the Goliath turned its head forward again and moved on with its kin. Oobleck turned around and walked away as well, Ruby putting away her weapon, not moving.  
"Doctor Oobleck?"  
"Hmm?"  
"I was wondering..."  
You turned just in time to see Oobleck stop walking and turn back to you and Ruby. "Wondering why I've been interrogating your teammates all day?"  
You looked to Ruby as she corrected him. "A-Actually, I was wondering... Why did you want to become a Huntsman?"  
Oobleck didn't miss a beat. "Look around and tell me what you see." You and Ruby looked around.  
"Lots of old buildings, uh, empty streets..." Ruby stated.  
"I see lives that could have been saved." Oobleck continued walking with Ruby and you beside him and Zwei at your heels.  
"As a Huntsman, it is my job to protect the people, and although I am capable of doing it with traditional weaponry, I believe I can make a much larger impact if I do it with my mind. As a teacher, I'm able to take knowledge, the most powerful weapon of them all, and place it in the hands of every student that passes through my classroom. I look at this wasteland, and I see lives that could have been saved, but I also see an opportunity; an opportunity to study these ruins and learn from this tragedy, and therefore become stronger." Oobleck now stopped for his final answer.  
"I am a Huntsman, Ruby, because there is nothing else in this world I would rather be."

You watched as Oobleck Suddenly came rushing into the room team RWBY was set up in, you entering with Ruby. "Ah, wonderful; a textbook campfire!"  
"Fire!" You watched as Ruby came in behind Oobleck and immediately sat next to the blaze alongside Zwei. "So... warm..." You smiled at the silly reaction Ruby had at the fire.  
"Very good! Eat your dinners and hurry to bed. We have a lot of ground to cover tomorrow and we'll need you to take turns keeping watch over our temporary abode. Any volunteers for first watch?"   
You watched as Ruby lifted an arm while still looking into the fire, simply answering, "Yo." Oobleck now rushed off, and Ruby got up to go over to her lookout point. Meanwhile you notived your team off in a corner, relaxing away from RWBY. Walking over you sat with them.   
"Why are you guys away from the fire?" Kaen nodded over to RWBY.  
"They made the fire, so we let them have it. Reiji's Sembalance makes him a human heater anyways, so we aren't going to be cold." You nodded, then noticed a missing member of the team.  
"Where's Rogue?" Inshu pointed to a window, overlooking the ruins of Mountain Glenn, and the wilderness beyond.  
"Pouting about something if I had to guess, based on how he's been acting today." He told you as you watched Rogue stare out the window.  
"Inshu, do you think you can go talk to him about it? You two get along the best." You asked Inshu. He nodded, getting up and walking that way without a word.  
Kaen and Reiji now looked away from Inshu and Rogue, back to you. "What did Oobleck talk to you and Ruby about?" Kaen asked as you sat down, grabbing the ration of food they had set to the side for you.  
"He didn't ask anything. Just showed us the Goliaths, and then Ruby asked him why he was a Huntsman." You started to eat as Kaen and Reiji exchanged glances.  
"Alright. Why did he want to be a Huntsman?" Kaen asked.  
"He said it was to help learn from tragedies like here, make sure they don't happen by teaching his students about them." You kept eating, speaking between bites.  
"Sounds like us. If only we actually bothered to try and help humanity." Kaen stated sullenly.  
"We're here now. We can't change the past, we can only learn from it and act on it." You told him, looking to him. "Whether we lived the past or learned it, we can help. Don't think about the past. None of it's worth remembering." Kaen slowly looked down.  
"I suppose you're right." He shrugged lightly. Reiji shifted slightly.  
"This time Salem won't be able to trick us. We'll win, no matter what it takes." He grumbled. You and Kaen nodded in agreement.  
"Yeah. The minute we can fight that fight, we're going to." You agreed, smiling at your brothers as they nodded. "For now lets get some sleep. No point staying up talking about it." You made yourself comfortable on the ground, closing your eyes.

"Grab your weapons! Your leader may be in trouble." You woke up, still a little groggy as both team RWBY and KRKI got up.  
"Whats going on?" You asked Inshu, who was the first of you to be up entirely.  
"Ruby's gone, but Zwei is here." He helped you up, using the end of his scythe to hook your axe by the blade and sling it at you so you could put it on your back.

Zwei lead everyone to a large hole in the road, Yang spotting Crescent Rose next to the hole.  
"Ruby's scythe!" Everyone walked up to the hole, Oobleck somehow missing it.  
"Do you think she fell?" Weiss asked.  
"Fell?" Oobleck dashed up beside Weiss, looking up.  
"Down there." Oobleck now looked down at the hole.  
"Oh my. Of course! Of course, OF COURSE, OF COURSE!" Everyone exchanged concern glances.  
"What is it?" Blake asked.  
"How could I be so stupid?!" Oobleck cried  
"Dr. Oobleck, what's wrong?" Yang asked now.  
"Mountain Glenn! Yes, an expansion of Vale that was inevitably destroyed by creatures of Grimm! Previously home to thousands of people! Working people commuting to the city, the main city! Developed a subway system to the inner city! Grimm attacks increased! Population in danger, now desperately searching for shelter! City evacuates into the metro tunnels and what do they find? The southeast quadrant of Vale is known for wild forests and deep caves!"   
Kaen stepped closer to him. "What does that mean for us?"  
"My boy, we're not just looking for an underground crime network, we're looking for an UNDERGROUND crime network!"  
"They've been working in caves?" Blake asked.  
"No, no, Mountain Glenn was Vale's first serious attempt at expansion. It worked for a short period of time, thanks to an aggressive perimeter defense, and unique transportation; the city developed an elaborate subway system to carry citizens safely from the new territory into the main Kingdom! Sadly, without the many natural barriers Vale had to protect its borders, Mountain Glenn was doomed from the start! As the end drew near, the citizens of the territory made one last attempt at survival: They took up shelter beneath the city! In massive caves that they had cleared out for the subway. And they had cut themselves off from the surface!" Oobleck raved.  
"An underground village?" You finally asked.  
"In a matter of speaking, yes. A safe haven. Until... an explosion opened the mouth of another cavern, filled with subterranean Grimm. After that, the Kingdom officially sealed off the tunnels, creating the world's largest tomb. If Ruby is down there," Oobleck deployed his mug, revealing it was his weapon. "We must find her..."  
You looked to Rogue and Blake. "Rogue, Blake, can you two go ahead? Your probably our best scouts." Oobleck looked to you, nodding as you took charge.  
"Sure." Rogue didnt hesitate, headed to the hole and leaping in. Blake however, paused.  
"We should stick together. We don't know what's down there." You, for once, glared at her.  
"Fine. Stay with the group if you want. Inshu, head down and go with Rogue. Your the only one of us who could keep up with him." You looked to Rogue in the hole, watching as he nodded up to you, before looking at the ground. As he looked for signs of where Ruby could have gone, Inshu jumped down beside him.

"Two sets of footprints, boots, most likely the White Fang. Scuffled here, most likely when they managed to subdue Ruby, had to guess I'd say a blow to the head. Tracks head that way." Rogue pointed to his left, starting to head that way as the last of team RWBY and KRKI landed on the roof.  
"They headed down the rubble and stairs they could find, their headed for ground level." He continued to follow the trail, Inshu right on his heels as everyone else moved at a safe pace for them.  
"After they hit the ground level here they headed straight for the tracks. Their using the subway system either for transport, or as a mobile base." He looked to the tracks, then looked back to Inshu  
"I see movement along the tracks. White Fang." He got up, drawing his swords as Inshu drew his scythe.  
"Go tell the others. I'll go ahead." Inshu ordered him. Rogue nodded, running back towards you. "They went towards the tracks, there's White Fang there. No doubt Ruby is in there."   
You all looked to each other, then Yang as she charged that way. "Subtly be damned when we have a Xiao Long." Kaen told everyone.  
"We should head after her." Rogue suggested, headed after her, everyone else agreeing as they ran after her.


	11. No Brakes

You blocked several shots from one of the White Fang as they ran away, team RWBY and Oobleck leading the charge while your team cleared the area, Kaen using his weapons bow form to take them out at range. Reiji tore through the enemy like they were children, and Inshu cut through them like paper. Rogue stayed back with you, since all five of you would be overkill at this point.  
"Push to team RWBY, we can deal with the rest of the White Fang after we recover Ruby." You called out, your team moving to follow the orders. Before long you had a clear sightline of the team, moving to merge with them.

"Torchwick's got all kinds of weapons and robots down there." Your team walked up just in time to hear this from Ruby.  
"What?!" Blake handed Ruby Crescent Rose now. As Ruby began to reload the sniper rifle she explained what she knew.  
"Androids, mechs, they're all loaded up on the train cars!"  
"Ahhhh, that's ridiculous. These tunnels are sealed, the tracks lead to a dead-end." Oobleck replied.  
You now heard Torchwick over a speaker system, "Get to your places, we are leaving now!" You looked to Oobleck.  
"Law of Attraction sure is a bitch ain't it?" Rogue asked while you looked to the train as it started moving towards the tunnels.  
"So, what do we do?" Weiss asked.  
"I believe we only have one option..." Oobleck stated, Ruby turning to face the train as she finished his thought.   
"We're stopping that train!"

"I think they're on the-" You hit the White Fang on the head with your axes counterweight, watching as he fell off the train now.   
"I almost feel bad for doing that." You stated as everyone moved to get on top of the car.  
"Don't weep for the stupid you'll be crying all day." Rogue held out his hand to help you up as he said this.

"Hurry, children! We must get to the front and stop this train!" You shared a glance with Kaen, both of you finding the irony in being called children.  
As Weiss opened a hatch on the roof you were walking on she called out, "Err... Professor?"  
In typical fashion Oobleck replied with an annoyed tone, "Doctor..."  
Undeterred, Weiss now pointed down inside the hatch, "What's that?"  
As Oobleck knelt down to take a look you realized what it was, noticing the wires on it in addition to it's odd shape.  
"That my dear... appears to be a bomb." As team RWBY cringed away from the hatch your own team exchanged glances.  
"We've got baddies!" Ruby's high pitched voice fit the rather childish words as you looked to see the White Fang headed towards you.  
"Well, I didn't expect them to go-" Oobleck stopped as the bomb underneath you charged up and started beeping. "Easy on us." Oobleck now stood up. "Time to go!"  
As both teams started running away, Oobleck stopped Blake. "Blake! Detach the caboose! It will kill us all!"  
"On it." You and Rogue watched as Blake jumped down onto the connectors and got ready to cut the connection, but as she did, the connection came loose on its own.  
"Huh?" She now looked up at Oobleck and you, "It decoupled itself!" You looked to Kaen, since he'd probably figure out why it detached faster than anyone else would.  
Kaen now turned to Inshu. "Inshu check the next cart." As he ordered this he opened up the cart you were on. As Inshu threw open the cart hatch he seemed to confirm Kaen's quickly forming theory.  
"Dr. Oobleck they ALL have bombs!" Oobleck whirled to face him.  
"What?!" As Oobleck raced over to Kaen you heard the bomb begin to beep.  
"Move up a car!" You yelled, quickly doing so yourself. As you looked back you watched as the detached train car exploded. This time creating a hole allowing all sorts of Grimm to emerge.  
"He's leading Grimm to the city!" Oobleck yelled, Kaen nodding his agreement to you.  
"What?" Weiss asked.  
"It's the cars. They detach and explode, creating openings for the Grimm to get into the tunnels." Kaen told everyone.  
"That's insane!" Blake stated.  
"Isn't everything these people do insane?" Rogue demanded.  
As another train car detatched itself Oobleck spouted orders. "We have to hurry!" He turned to Rogue, Weiss, Blake, and Yang now, "You four, go below and try to stop those bombs!"  
"What about us?" Ruby asked, gesturing to you and the rest of your team.  
"We're going to stop this train." As he stated that you stepped next to Reiji.  
"Keep in the front. If we can't stop it in time I need you to jump off and hold off the Grimm." You told him, looking at him as he nodded in agreement.  
"Right." He gave a sadistic smirk now, your sking crawling at the sight.

As you all ran along the top of the train you heard Oobleck call out, "Up ahead!" Looking around Reiji you saw a Paladin charging towards you all. "We've got a problem!"   
As Kaen began to ready his bow you noticed Oobleck take a sip from his thermos before transforming it into its weapon mode, a small flame burning at its tip. Zwei barked now, prompting he was ready for...something.   
The small corgi jumped and flipped in the air, Oobleck batting him, turning him into a small fireball. You watched as the Paladin tried to shoot at it, only for it to get knocked off the train by the flaming corgi. The Paladin tumbled on the train tracks, and exploded when it hit a barricade.  
Glancing over at Rogue you exchanged looks of disbelief, surprised Oobleck could be such a devestating fighter.

"What do we do?" Those words made you finally look to the front of the train, realizing it was about to hit a cement wall.  
"Great...Reiji! Go!" You yelled at the brute, who was almost beating down the Paladin in front of him with his fist alone. As the man looked to you he nodded, dashing to the side of the car and leaping off. You now turned to the rest of your team, Rogue the only one who looked confused by Reiji's actions.  
Before you could do anything else the train hit the wall, an explosion turning your vision white.

As the dust settled around you, you slowly moved. Groaning you slowly shoved off the chunk of rubble over your stomach.   
As you slowly looked around you saw everyone else was in a similar state. You slowly got to your feet now. Hearing a growl, you looked up to see a Beowulf pounce towards you, only to fly over your head, turning into ash.  
Looking back to the ground you saw Reiji, his free hand encased in fire as he fought Grimm one after the other, whirling around in a deadly rampage of blade and flame.  
Getting up you now drew your axe, swinging at an Ursa as it charged, taking it's head off.  
"Ok, I never want to take a train again." Inshu commented, slicing through a few Grimm with ease as they circled him.  
"Agreed. I'd rather walk any day after this." Rogue appeared next to Inshu, having mowed through the Grimm between them.  
Hearing the roar of ship engines you and your team looked up, seeing the arriving Atlesian military.  
"Least we won't lose now." Inshu commented to you and Rogue as you and your team bunched up.

"This is the right move, Ozpin. I promise, I will keep our people safe, you have to trust me." The elevator doors slid open just as Ironwood said this, your team stepping into the office as the video feed of Ironwood cut out.  
"What did the Tin Man want now?" Inshu scoffed, taking one of the open chairs.  
Everyone watched as Ozpin stared out the window at the Atlesian Flagship outside.  
"Ironwood saw fit to inform the Vale Government Council of the issues we have had here at Beacon in the past few weeks."  
Your team looked amongst each other. "Why? It's nothing we could have stopped, shit happens." Inshu commented, pulling out his flask and taking several gulps of it's contents.  
"Ironwood doubts my current course of action. He's worried about the people." You looked to Rogue, noticing how Ozpin seemed to be making excuses for the General.  
"Worried or not, that doesn't justify leaking information of events that occured outside of our control." You replied, staring at the Flagship now.  
"Especially when he sits on one of the most racist councils on all of Remnant." Rogue chimed in.  
"Rogue, please. The General may not be perfect, but he is hardly at fault for the views of others." Ozpin now turned to face you all, a stern look in his eyes.  
"He's in the wrong for letting it happen. He could easily give the word to free the Faunus stuck in the SDC mines. But he won't as long as Schnee money fills his pockets." Rogue was getting worked up, clearly having buried this opinion for awhile now.  
"Rogue. Your dismissed. Return to your dorm." Ozpin stared at the wolf Faunus, who growled lowly before turning and leaving. Ozpin stayed silent until the elevator could be heard travelling down.  
"Setting aside matters of public knowledge for the moment, did any of you have anything to add? Did you encounter anyone out of the ordinary? Perhaps those two that attacked you and Kaen, Y/N?" Ozpin asked, slowly leaning back into his chair.  
"No. We didn't see anything outside of the White Fang and Roman Torchwick. Maybe the White Fang are still an independent terrorist group?" You suggested, shrugging slowly.  
"Perhaps. But now more than ever we must be on guard. Please look out for anything out of the ordinary." Ozpin stressed this as you all nodded. "Now go back to your dorms. You all have earned your rest."  
With that, everyone got up and left.


	12. The Inner Circle

You sat in Ozpin's office, looking out the window. "So what did you want me here for?" Ozpin smiled wryly, holding up a manilla folder.   
Sliding it over to you he watched as you opened. "Every last folk tale, mythology, and story about the Stormking. I told you I would get it." You leafed through the pages, some contained tales of your past, some drawings, some written.  
"I'm surprised anything was left after 2000 years." You commented.  
Ozpin nodded. "If humanity endures, so will its stories. Especially when one of the people that lived through the story keeps reincarnating and tells the story again to keep it alive." You looked up at Ozpin.  
"Why do that?" You asked him.  
"I believed you would be sealed away forever. It felt...wrong, to just bury you in history. Consider it a memorial, a now redundant memorial." Ozpin lightly shrugged as he drank.  
"Fair enough." You went back to looking through everything.

"Ozpin. Qrow is back. He's fighting Winter Schnee in the courtyard." Glynda spoke from Ozpin's Scroll, having called him while you were reading.  
Ozpin sighed. "Flirting was a lot less destructive in my day." He muttered, getting up. "Stay here. I'll be retrieving them." He told you, headed for the elevator. You looked up, shrugged, and went back to reading. It would be interesting meeting Qrow. You'd heard so much about him from Ruby, and you knew he was in Ozpin's circle.

You watched both Ironwood and the Schnee with him as she impatiently paced about. Hearing the elevator you looked over to see a smirking man that had to be Qrow, accompanied by Goodwitch and Ozpin inside.  
"What were you thinking!?" The Schnee girl spoke up, Ironwood now addin on to the statement.  
"If you were one of my men, I would have you shot!"   
You watched Qrow now, pulling out a flask as the three entered the room, "If I was one of your men, I'd shoot myself." You immediately bit your tongue, trying your best not to laugh.  
"While I wouldn't condone his behavior, retaliating like you did certainly didn't help the situation." Glynda told the Schnee girl, who immediately turned defensive.  
"He was drunk!" She protested.  
"He's always drunk!" The five of you now turned to Qrow to see him drinking from a flask. His eyes widened when he noticed you staring, holding the flask out to the side, looking at it awkwardly before presumably swallowing his drink.  
You heard Ozpin now sigh and sit down. "Qrow, why are you here?" Ironwood spoke up again.  
"You've been out of contact for weeks! You can't just go dark like that in the field!" Qrow didn't seem to like that.  
"I'm not one of your special operatives, Jimmy!" The Schnee spoke up again.  
"General." Qrow ignored her.  
"Whatever. You sent me to get intel on our enemy, and I'm telling you, our enemy is here." You watched as Ironwood leaned against Ozpin's desk.  
"We know." You looked at Ironwood with a less than impressed expression, finding yourself silently agreeing with Qrow when he responded.  
"Oh! Oh, you know! Well, thank goodness I'm out there risking my life to keep you all informed!"  
"Qrow-"  
"Communication's a two-way street, pal. You see this?" He now pulled out his Scroll and pointed to it. "That's the SEND button."  
"They had reason to assume you'd been compromised." The Schnee spoke up, defending Ironwood. You were beginning to wonder if she was closer to the General than was professionally healthy.  
"And I have reason to assume you don't need to be here." Qrow now pointed to Winter. "Seriously, who invited her?"  
After a moment of silence, Ironwood spoke without looking at her. "Schnee, we'll discuss this incident back at my ship."  
"But sir!"  
"Winter. Leave." So that was her name, Winter. You watched as she turned on her heel and gave Qrow a dirty look as she left down the elevator.  
"And whose this kid?" Qrow now pointed to you, cutting off Ironwood as he was about to say something.  
"This is Y/N. Leader of Team KRKI, their the Guardians I told you about Qrow." Qrow sauntered over to you, eyeing you up as you stood up now.  
"I was expecting someone with yout reputation to be a bit older...and bigger." He got in your face, but you didn't back down.  
"And I expected Ruby's idol and teacher not to be an alcoholic. Appearances can be deceiving though, can't they?" You watched him closely as he slowly grinned.  
"Oh I like you already kid." He pat your shoulder as Ironwood spoke up.  
"Qrow. Go on."  
"Your little infiltrator isn't just another pawn. They're the one responsible for Autumn's condition." You watched as he took a drink from his flask once more. You looked to Ozpin curiously. Who was Autumn?  
"What?" Glynda spoke up.  
"Despite what the world thinks, we're not just teachers, or generals, or headmasters. The people in this room, the leaders of the other two academies, we're the ones that keep the world safe from the evils no one even knows about!"   
Qrow now got in Ironwood's face. "It's why we meet behind closed doors, why we work in the shadows. So you tell me, James, when you brought your army to Vale, did you think you were being discreet, or did you just not give a damn?!" Your gaze shifted to Ironwood as it sunk in now, just how wrong he had been to bring his army here.  
Ironwood stared down Qrow as he places his Scroll on Ozpin's desk. "Discreet wasn't working." You watched as the center of the room projected a hologram of Vale, Beacon Academy, the Amity Colosseum and Ironwood's fleet of Atlesian Airships, which he gestured to. "I'm here because this is what was necessary."  
"You're here because Ozpin wanted you here! He made you a part of this inner circle and opened your eyes to the real fight that's in front of us!"  
"And I am grateful."  
"Oh, well, you've got a real funny way of showing it." You watched, worried if you were about to watch Ozpin's circle rip itself apart.  
"The people of Vale needed someone to protect them; someone who would act. When they look to the sky and see my fleet, they feel safe, and our enemies will feel our strength." You felt your fists ball as Ironwood implied Ozpin had done nothing to protect the people.  
Qrow now started laughing. "You...you think they're scared of your little ships? I've been out there and I've seen the things she's made, and let me tell you - they are fear."  
"And fear will bring the Grimm. A guardian is a symbol of comfort. But an army is a symbol of conflict. There's an energy in the air now, a question in the back of everyone's minds..." Ozpin now gestured to the display as you turned to him. "If this is the size of our defenses, then what is it we're expecting to fight?"  
You heard Ironwood sigh and walk forward, picking up his Scroll. "So then, what would you suggest we do?"  
"I suggest we find our guardian."

"So who's Autumn?" You asked once the elevator closed, leaving just you and Ozpin. He slowly turned to you, a tired expression on his face.  
"Before the Great War, your brothers had vanished. And after it they vanished again. I thought I would never see them again after your fall." He began, standing and turning to face the window behind his desk.   
"I was in the twilight years of one of my lives after my time with you. I was an old man who was ready to give up on it all and just let the world pass me by. One day I was visited by four sisters, who each in their own unique ways were kind to me; the first by encouraging me to meditate and reflect, the second by bringing me fruit and flowers and revitalizing my garden, the third convinced me to step outside and embrace the world, and the fourth encouraged me to be thankful for what I had. I gave the four sisters great powers in return for their kindness, and as the embodiment of the four seasons, they went through Remnant spreading their gifts."  
Ozpin now turned back to you. "Now, they act as the keys to the vaults where I hid the artifacts. The Lamp of Knowledge, The Sword of Destruction, The Crown of Choice, and the Staff of Creation." You looked at Ozpin. The memories of those artifacts returning. You...had sought them...before you met Ozpin...why?  
"Y/N. Are you alright?" You looked back to Ozpin, realizing you had been holding your head as if experiencing a headache.  
"Hm? Yes, I'm alright. I just...felt something odd as I remembered the artifacts. It's nothing." You waved it off. You now returned to the conversation you'd been having. "So I take it Autumn is one of these Maidens?" Ozpin nodded.  
"Amber. She was attacked, and is currently being kept on life support beneath Beacon." Ozpin slowly moved around his desk to stand beside you as he told you the rest. "If she dies her powers go to the ones that attacked her. So we must find her successor and transfer her Aura to the successor."  
You slowly turned to Ozpin. "You'd be killing her, and potentially driving the successor insane by doing that." You pointed out. It was the simple basics of Aura, Aura was the expression of one's soul, to take their Aura and place it in another person would basically be forcing two souls to reside in one body.  
"I know. Believe me it is far from ideal. But it is the only option we have left." You stepped closer, the lights of Ozpin's office flickering, a roll of thunder off in the distance as you spoke.  
"You have me. You have the rest of the Guardians. Let us find our old weapons and we would be unstoppable." You told him.  
"I can't do that. The others weapons are in the vaults along with the relics. They surrendered them after the Great War. Your Stormcaller they took and hid it somewhere even I don't know where right after we sealed you away." Ozpin now turned on you.  
"To send you all off on an expedition to retrieve them would be suicide, as you are our greatest defense at Beacon until we can find a new Fall Maiden." The flickering of the lights grew stronger as you tightened your fists.  
"Fine." You turned, storming out as a mighty crash of lightning sounded outside. It would be rsther dreary tonight. Ozpin slowly looked out at the now dark sky. As the elevator closed behind you he sighed.  
"If your powers are already beginning to return Y/N, you might just be able to find Stormcaller yourself." He sat at his desk, just watching the rain.


	13. Fall

You stopped the elevator at the CCT floor, getting out. Looking around you saw Kaen at a computer, working away as he had been since the tournament began. You walked up behind him now, not saying anything as he typed away.  
"Can I help you Y/N?" He asked at last, his fingers never slowing.  
"Where are the Relic vaults?" You asked, watching as he finally stopped typing. He slowly turned around to face you now.  
"I take it Ozpin finally told you about them?" He asked evenly, looking up at you.  
"You knew about them?" You demanded.  
"Of course I knew. Just because we stepped out of the mortal view doesn't mean we ignored them. I kept my eyes on what he did after we helped him in the Great War. I thought he told you and you just weren't interested in the relics or our old weapons."  
You slowly sat beside him now. "And what about the Maidens?" He again spoke in a monotone, unemotional voice.  
"Everyone knew about them for the first few centuries they existed. Then Ozpin kept them close to his chest, hid them and protected them. I don't know who the Maidens are now, or where they are." He slowly shrugged. "That's not information I care to know either. The Maidens are independent of us, and that is what's best."  
You frowned now. "Ozpin said one of them is under Beacon right now. The Fall Maiden. She's on life support after she got attacked. He wants to put her Aura, and therefore her powers, into someone else."  
"He'd kill her."  
"I know. I said as much. He said that it was the only option. When I reminded him of our own power he said it would be suicide to try and gather our old weapons." You noticed Kaen nod.  
"I hate to break it to you, but it would be. Each Relic's Vault is under one of the four Huntsman academies. We'd have to go around to each one just to get them back. There wouldn't be enough time, especially after the break in at the dance." At that moment both Kaen's screen and your own came to life, a red background, in the center was a black queen piece.  
"The hell?" Kaen turned to his computer now, rapidly typing away. "It's some kind of virus. It's hijacked control of the tournament broadcast." More typing, then he managed to show you the broadcast. "Shit." Kaen murmured as you both stared in shock. There was Penny, an android friend Ruby had, in pieces on the tournament ring floor.  
"Pyrrha wouldn't do that. She couldn't." You denied, Kaen staring in equal shock.  
"Not intentionally." Before he could tell you what he was about to say next, a voice spoke over the broadcast.  
"This is not a tragedy. This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians," You and Kaen looked between each other, turning back to the broadcast as you pulled out your Scroll.   
"But are, in reality, nothing more than men." You growled lightly at her claims, calling Inshu.   
"Our Academies' Headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both." You didn't say anything, though you did agree Ironwood was not the brightest of people these days.  
"They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by another's star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference." The call didn't go through, no doubt Inshu missed it. Nonplussed, you called again.  
"And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students? First a dismemberment, now this? Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy, yet I have witnessed neither." Kaen now pulled out his own Scroll, calling Reiji possibly.  
"Perhaps Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the Tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets. Or perhaps this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong. But I know the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves." You finally heard the call connect. You were quick with your orders.  
"Get your scythe. Get Rogue to help you round up the citizens and get them out of the fair grounds, get them back to the city, now." You disconnected just in time to hear the next part of the woman's speech.  
"So I ask you: When the first shots are fired... who do you think you can trust?" Now your screen and Kaen's both turned to staic.  
"Reiji is going to be trying to stem as much of the Grimm invasion as he can." Kaen informed you, starting to furiously type at his computer.  
"You and me should head for the colosseum, try and get people out and back to the city." Kaen shook his head.  
"No point. They have the General, he can clear the arena out. The main bulk of Grimm are going to head for the city, you should head there instead. I'll stay back and try to find where that woman was broadcasting from." You looked out the windows.  
"What about Beacon?" Kaen sighed in response, before speaking.  
"Inshu and Rogue are at the fairgrounds already, along with any Huntsman and Huntress willing to stay behind and help evacuate. Reiji will most likely come this way too when the Grimm get past him. What matters is the city, now go."   
He didn't even look away from the screen as you called the elevator, dashing inside as the doors shut.  
As the elevator slowly traveled down you pulled out your Scroll, checking the Auras you had on it. All of Team KRKI, RWBY, and JNPR. You scanned through them all, making sure nothing was wrong. Only Pyrrha had a lowered Aura, and that was to be expected.

As you walked out of the tower your locker slammed down beside you. You threw it open, grabbing your axe and running for the landing pads.

You ran through the streets, slashing at any Grimm you could reach. You were trying to get to a group of civilians you had spotted right before you'd jumped out of the Bullhead, you'd overshot them when you jumped.  
An Ursa growled and tried to slam its massive paw into you. You slid beneath it, cleaving off one leg before climbing on to it. You heard the sound of crackling electricity as you lifted your axe, bringing it down on the Grimms head. As you did, your axe seemed to let out a burst of electric energy, ripping the Grimm apart right before it turned into dust again.

"Nice sparkler trick." You spun around to face the voice, only to be slammed into by a familiar shadow. You felt the wind knocked out of you as you flew back, crashing into a street light. Wulf let out a dark laugh as you slowly got up.  
"Ah, you haven't changed a bit Guardian." He mocked, slowly swinging a rather large falchion back and forth.  
"I beg to differ." You acted on an instinct, some long buried reflex. You threw your axe, watching as it flew end over end at your opponent, ripping electricity away from the nearby street lights as it did.  
Wulf swatted the weapon aside as if it were nothing, the electricity harmlessly discharging around him. "No. You really haven't." He mocked again, slowly marching towards you. Then he began to charge.  
You braced yourself, hand outstretched as your axe flew off the ground, coming between you and Wulf as he swung down. You were now holding the weapon once again, blocking him.

"Yeah. I have." You kicked his knee sideways, listening as he roared in pain and anger. You backed up as he swung his sword at you, rising to his feet again.  
He roared as he swung at you again, this time you ducked the blow, using your axes handle to hit him across the face. As you fixed your grip you parried another swing, noting just how hard he was swinging. You could take advantage of that.

A shot rang out, and you felt yourself fold as you were hit. "Ok. I'm done holding back on you." Wulf stated, now showing he had drawn a knife, the guard designed as a pistol. He swung the falchion again, this time with his left. You blocked, barely.  
The tides had turned as the large warrior pressed a relentless assault on you, giving you no real chance to counter attack, especially now that he had a gun.   
Your Aura flared around you again and again, saving you from being cut to pieces as you tried to stop backing up and retaliate. You knew you couldn't have long, your Aura was average on a good day, and this was anything but a good day.

You grunted as you were slammed into the ground, Wulf now stepping over you. Your Aura shattered now, leaving you vulnerable. "Well, it's been a joy taking your life." Wulf sneered, raising his sword to end you. You felt the same rush of power you had when Reiji attacked you.  
"You are taking nothing." You stated, your eyes flooded with blue light now. A roll of thunder sounded just as lightning came down on the two of you, blowing Wulf back as you got up.  
You reached out, taking hold of your axe as it flew into your grip again. "I will be claiming your life tonight warrior." You proclaimed, striding towards him. Wulf growled, getting to his feet, looking about for his weapons.

As you raised your axe to call down more lightning, you felt something hit your back, and then go through you. Coughing up blood you realized you'd been stabbed. Falling to your knees as the blue light faded from your eyes, you seemed frozen in place.  
"Oh how the mighty have fallen." A feminine voice stated, its owners hand caressing your cheek. "A pity. You could have been such a challenge for me if you had grown to your reputation." Geist taunted, stepping around you, holding Wulf's now bloody falchion.  
"But now. You can be Grimm feed instead." She now rammed the sword into your chest, piercing your heart as blood ran from your mouth.

There was an explosion of power, electric energy greater than any you had displayed in this new life. It erupted out of your lifeless body, destroying the Grimm close to you, the rest being wounded as it spread out. Geist and Wulf were not spared, the womans hand being scorched by the energy, while Wulf was knocked back, suffering burns across any exposed flesh.  
With that final roar, you were no more. A memory of those who sacrificed themselves in the Fall.


	14. Rights

Inshu sat across from Yang's bed, staring at the wall. The girl he loved had lost her arm in the Fall, and his little brother killed. What sort of sick joke was this?!   
Head resting against his hands Inshu wondered if Ozpin was even worth finding again this time. They finally came together after two thousand years and this was what they had to show for it. A dead leader, a dead brother, and a mutilated lover.  
The door opening was the only thing to pull him from his thoughts. Looking to it he saw Kaen, who seemed as bleak as ever.  
"I just came from the hospital back in Vale. Rogue woke up. He knows Blake left. No doubt he'll go after her." He kept looking straight ahead, as if afraid to acknowledge his brother.  
"What now then?" Inshu asked, slowly standing up as he hammered away at his flask, emptying it in record time.  
"We need to give him a proper funeral Inshu." Inshu looked to his brother.  
"Where? Where on this forsaken fucking rock should we bury our brother?" He demanded, slowly lurching towards his brother. Kaen now turned his head to look at Inshu.  
"Where it all began. Where we began." Inshu stopped in his tracks. None of them had set foot in the Domain of Light since Kai-Y/N...had fallen for Salem's lies. They had never felt worthy of the brilliant land.  
"We'd take months. I won't leave Yang that long." Inshu protested softly.  
"If we use this we won't have to." Kaen now produced a compass from his pocket. Inshu gingerly took it, looking at it in shock...awe...sorrow.  
"His first creation..." Inshu choked out. Tears rose to his eyes as he watched the needle pointed directly to the Domain of Light.  
"Would it even work?"  
"It's how I've been getting around quickly despite the chaos." Kaen murmured, slowly taking the compass back from Inshu.  
"If it's going to be a proper funeral, all three of us should go." Inshu said, wiping his eyes.  
"I know. I was going to get Reiji once you were ready to come with me." Kaen put the compass back into his pocket as he said this, sighing softly as he did.  
"Alright. One thing first." He nodded to Yang, who was staring out the window. Kaen nodded, stepping out of the room to give the two privacy.  
"You can go. He was your brother, I understand." Yang didn't even look as Inshu sat beside her, bringing an arm around her.  
"I knew you'd understand Yang. But I wanted to make sure you'd really be ok." Inshu told her, hugging her. The blond turned, burying her face in Inshu's shoulder and crying.  
"I don't want you to go." Yang cried as she sobbed.  
"I promise it won't take us longer than the day. I'll be back before it's dark. I promise to every God humanity has ever thought of." Inshu slowly brought Yangs head up to look at him.  
"I promise I'll come back, and I'll never leave your side once I'm back." He whispered, softly kissing the once fiery blond. Yang barely kissed back, wrapping her left arm around him.  
"You had better..."  
"I will Yang."

"Reiji." Kaen and Inshu stood out of the way from the destructive man before them, watching as he turned to them, his eyes fiery with anger and sorrow.  
"What now? The last time you came for me where I was, this happened!" He roared, gesturing to the destroyed Beacon, the devastation of the attack, and the Grimm that wandered and approached the campus.  
"We're going to give him a funeral. In the Domain of Light. All three of us." Inshu told Reiji, watching as a myriad of emotions seemed to pass over the mountainous man's features.  
"When?"  
"Once you agree. We would have to get the body, but then we could leave."  
"How long?"  
"We'll be back before dark."  
"How?"  
Kaen silently produced the compass, holding it where Reiji could see.  
"You found it? After all these years?" A solemn nod from Kaen was the only answer. Reiji slowly bowed his head, his gaze to the ground.  
"Fine."

"Who's gonna carry him?" Inshu asked, looking down at the cloth wrapped body of the trio's youngest brother.  
"I will. I am the eldest. You all were my responsibility to guide when you appeared in this world. I will guide him one last time...to the Afterlife." Kaen spoke with the solemn determination only an oldest child taking charge of his siblings could.  
With that Kaen reached down, collecting the body in his arms, and lifting it. Silently Reiji and Inshu both took hold of his shoulders.

In the blink of an eye the three brothers found themselves standing in the golden flowers of the Domain of Light. The Fountain of Life stood before them, the golden leafed Tree of Light behind it slowly swaying in the breeze.  
Without a word Kaen walked to the Fountain, kneeling and laying his youngest brother on the rocks that lined the water.  
"As we lived for our father Oum, so we live for the memory of our brother, Kaizen Oum. As we resist the darkness, so will we resist the loss of memory for our brother. As we guided him through this world, so we guide Kaizen towards the Afterlife." Kaen spoke quietly, Inshu and Reiji silent as he did.  
Kaen lifted the body again. This time sliding it slowly from his arms into the water. As the body slowly dipped into the water, Kaen's hands brushed the waters surface, burning as if touching flame. With a grunt of pain Kaen pulled his hands back, watching as the body of Kaizen Oum sank beneath the water.

"Salem was behind this. I have no doubts." Kaen stated, looking to the stone covered Wyvern with Inshu and Reiji.  
"That was obvious when we found out they were after the Fall Maiden."  
"Still. We need a plan of attack. I am not going to sit idly by again, and allow another Academy to meet Beacon's fate." Kaen turned to Inshu now, looking him in the eye.  
"You can stay with Yang. But if she fights again, you will fight too." Inshu nodded, unable to find a reason to argue. Now Kaen turned to Reiji.  
"You won't bury yourself in Grimm here. You are going to Vacuo. Guard the Relic of Destruction. Wield it if the situation forces that possibility." Reiji looked to his brother and nodded.  
"I will go to Atlas. Prevent any further destruction Ironwoods soulless army of machines may cause, and guard the Relic of Creation."  
"And what about the Relic of Knowledge?" Kaen looked to the ground.  
"That we must leave abandoned for now. As the situation evolves so too will we." Kaen looked between his brothers.  
"We are not hiding from this war any more. Now we march the warpath."


End file.
